Mulching in my garden is something that I hold off doing until the seedlings become more established and can hold their own against the swarms of earwigs that invade the garden, live under the mulch and cut anything young and tender off at round level. It seems to be the most efficient way to combat the problem. Traps barely make a dent and I just end up losing more plants than I save anyway. It’s frustrating because I then have to water more often and having to hand water everything while having a chronic health condition, it can be exhausting. But I just have to get on with it. This year my mother has been great and we do half the garden each. Our system is perfect now.
With the weather heating up over the past weeks, watering every second night hasn’t been enough. So over the weekend I made it my mission to get as much of the garden mulched as I could. I am also off to Adelaide today for three days of treatment. With the weather being warm the rest of the week, it kind of put the pressure on so that I would have a garden to come home to. I’m torn between wanting it to be cool enough for the garden to survive and warm enough for the horses to keep their rugs off at night. The horses look to get their way. Have to keep the manure makers comfy. So on Sunday I got into it. I use Broad Bean straw that is grown locally, cutting down on its carbon foot print. It’s also cheap and I can buy it in huge bales for $40. The proceeds go to the local Hockey club and we usually need a few bales each year.
For me at the moment, I have only been able to manage between half an hour to an hour of anything physical, so I had to be smart about this. I conned whoever was around at the time to move the wheelbarrow between the bale and the garden and I got too it. I knew I would be in bed the next day anyway, so why not get as much done as possible. I managed the bulk of it and left the plots that are too young or are more likely to stay damp. I was quite impressed with what I got done. Most of the tomatoes, the zucchinis, corn, my new grape vines, some of the older peppers and pumpkins and most of my herbs are done. Leaving my young pumpkins, cues, eggplants and peppers with bare soil. With a chance of rain over the next day or two I should be fine. I’ll have someone check in on the younger plants and it should be fine. Just as long as those pesky earwigs don’t get any Ideas while I am away.
At least when I get back I should be able to garden more. Yippee!!!
Grow To Heal 