What do I do FIRST? Here we are almost the end of April and sooooooo much to do. I CAN panic, get no sleep, by worrying myself sick. Or I CAN say, IT’S GOING TO BE OK. The sun will still come up every morning, the birds will still sing their sweet melodies, the tree will still give me shade, and there will still be those that need HELP. Whether it be food that we are growing in our gardens, or a lesson on how we do it? Or that one, that is just needing someone to listen to them, and tell them that you LOVE them. Really, we can get so carried away with what we are doing that we forget WHY, we are doing it? PEOPLE, it’s because of the PEOPLE. So let’s not forget that People, need LOVE more than anything. A person filled with LOVE can sustain a lot. When a person is full of LOVE, they just want to give it to everyone. When you have LOVE, you have JOY. And JOY is ENERGY. And you can go, and go, and go, and go. So let’s not forget WHY, we do something. Let’s NOT lose focus on the purpose of our BEING, on this EARTH.
Wow, the COOLEST thing was given to me this week as a GIFT. Because, I was wanting to Grow in Wide Rows this year, there was a tool I needed but could not find. I even asked a few people if they could make one, to no avail. Then SUDDENLY, a sweet man I call PAPA, whose name is Herb, owner of a family business called, Jora Design, a machine shop, gave me the GIFT I thought I would NEVER find. I’ll get back to show and tell you about this later, because that’s what I will be sharing today.
#13 Thinning Wide Rows. In the wide rows planted from seed directly in the ground (except Peas and Beans) must be thinned when they are about ¼ to ½ inch high. The most effective way and NO back breaking pain, you use your garden rake. That’s right, your garden rake. The way to do it is, you drag your rake across the WIDTH, of the row, NOT (the Length, of the row) and let the teeth of the rake dig about ¼ to ½ inch deep into the soil. You might think, NO, it’s pulling out all my little precious plants. Hang on, as Dick Raymond says, DON’T look down. It works, and after a few days the row of small seeded plants will look fine again. Rake-Thinning gets RID of weeds. Most weeds are close to the surface of the dirt in order to sprout. So when you run your rake through, your rake KICKS many of the weeds OUT just as they are germinating and before they can anchor themselves in. WALA!!! Also know that when you Rake-Thin you are allowing oxygen and water to flow freely into the soil.
Wow, the COOLEST thing was given to me this week as a GIFT. Because, I was wanting to Grow in Wide Rows this year, there was a tool I needed but could not find. I even asked a few people if they could make one, to no avail. Then SUDDENLY, a sweet man I call PAPA, whose name is Herb, owner of a family business called, Jora Design, a machine shop, gave me the GIFT I thought I would NEVER find. I’ll get back to show and tell you about this later, because that’s what I will be sharing today.
#13 Thinning Wide Rows. In the wide rows planted from seed directly in the ground (except Peas and Beans) must be thinned when they are about ¼ to ½ inch high. The most effective way and NO back breaking pain, you use your garden rake. That’s right, your garden rake. The way to do it is, you drag your rake across the WIDTH, of the row, NOT (the Length, of the row) and let the teeth of the rake dig about ¼ to ½ inch deep into the soil. You might think, NO, it’s pulling out all my little precious plants. Hang on, as Dick Raymond says, DON’T look down. It works, and after a few days the row of small seeded plants will look fine again. Rake-Thinning gets RID of weeds. Most weeds are close to the surface of the dirt in order to sprout. So when you run your rake through, your rake KICKS many of the weeds OUT just as they are germinating and before they can anchor themselves in. WALA!!! Also know that when you Rake-Thin you are allowing oxygen and water to flow freely into the soil.
Here’s a list of vegetables to thin with a rake. Endives, Parsley, Chard, Collards, Kale, Chinese Cabbage, Radishes, Herbs, Onions planted from seed, Leaf Lettuce, Kohlrabi, Spinach, Turnips, Rutabagas, Parsnips, Mustard, Beets, and Carrots. NOTE, normally one pass of the rake is all that is needed. But if the crop is a bit thick then pass a second time with your rake but in the opposite direction.
Now about 5 to 6 days AFTER using your garden rake, you then take a NEW tool that Dick Raymond invented called a, In-Row Weeder. You might be saying, what in the world is that? Now that’s what my GIFT was that Papa, gave me this week. His version that he made himself using a Hay Fork. I’ll have a picture posted so you ALL would see and understand what I’m trying to explain. You use the In-Row Weeder every 4 or 6 days the same way as your garden rake, till your crops are too BIG to pass through the tines. Once again you are only going about ¼ inch deep when pulling your In-Row Weeder, and it does NOT harm your small plants. The Weeder tines go around your small plants. Just remember that your small plants are well rooted.
Now about 5 to 6 days AFTER using your garden rake, you then take a NEW tool that Dick Raymond invented called a, In-Row Weeder. You might be saying, what in the world is that? Now that’s what my GIFT was that Papa, gave me this week. His version that he made himself using a Hay Fork. I’ll have a picture posted so you ALL would see and understand what I’m trying to explain. You use the In-Row Weeder every 4 or 6 days the same way as your garden rake, till your crops are too BIG to pass through the tines. Once again you are only going about ¼ inch deep when pulling your In-Row Weeder, and it does NOT harm your small plants. The Weeder tines go around your small plants. Just remember that your small plants are well rooted.
That’s all for this week, so you ALL come back now so we can continue learning how to Grow in Wide Rows.
Deborah’s Buzz Blog
Singing out as
Blessed to be a Blessing
Deborah’s Buzz Blog
Singing out as
Blessed to be a Blessing