Get It Done

I guess it is a good time of year for me to be pissed off at my children.
Tonight, after a day of digging holes, filling them with compost and planting tomatoes, I managed to get a wee bit upset about something and needed to return to the garden to dig. I had a few emotions I needed to sort out. By hole ten I didn't even realize I was digging because my mind simply wasn't there. I was somewhere else.

240 holes later, sweaty and hot I felt much better.

Don't ever doubt that gardening and it's associated grunt work are good therapy. They are.

When the world throws a little crap at you as it inevitably does, head to the garden. Hoe, dig or just look. It is all so wonderful and helpful.

This time of year there's plenty of therapy to be had, particularly with planting.

After the rain we have had the past few days, the weeds are springing up. But I am really trying to ignore them, because right now the priority is planting.

I have all the eggplants and peppers in. Some cukes, squash, beans, melons, lots of lettuces, chards, brassicas, potatoes and carrots. It could be though that the carrots got washed away in the torrential downpour. No matter. There will be lots more going in. More beets, the different corns in staggered plantings, more, more and more again of nearly everything. I will likely plant for weeks to come, until all my space is filled.

People often ask ..."is it too late?" Perhaps for peas, spinach and radishes time is moving on as we hit the heat. For most other things though, the time is now.

Now though it is the tomatoes that I am focusing on. Maybe 700 in and likely that to go. Or more.
I want to give all the varieties I seeded a good trial, hence the quantity of plants. Plus of course as I tell everyone, you can never have too many tomatoes.

So in the field it is the same routine. Dig into that nice heavy clay, fill the planting hole with a good shovelful of compost mixed with my mineral supplement. Then strip the lower leaves off the tomato plants and sink them deep into the warm compost, covering the stem with the mix.

Again and again.

I hope to finish up in 2 more days and then really enjoy Niagara Vegfest on Sunday (June 2), Market Square St Catharines.
This is such a nice, feel good event and I'm so pleased to be involved. I'll be there through the day with my plants, seed, Steven Biggs (No Guff Gardening, Growing Figs) and a great mineral soil supplement.
I speak later on in the day too,  after some very impressive folks.

Hope to see you there. If not before..in the tomato field!