Big Garden Picture 2 August 2017

Here's the 'big garden' as of August 2nd.

Love the fog on the grassy field behind it. This is about 5:30am.

A storm in July shredded the fabric on the cuke/zuke sanctuary, so it's just wrapped around the frame with an open top. I thought it might keep some bug pests out anyway, but only makes it harder for me to get in there and work.

Obviously, I've got some more engineering to do this winter for next year: lower profile to withstand storms, wider footprint to accommodate maintenance.

I'm loving the flowers intermixed with the vegetables. They are both functional and beautiful, attracting beneficial insects. Next year, I'll put the functional flowers in first and more frequently.

Here's the thing about weeding: it's greatest benefit is not the obvious benefit. Sure, removing competitors frees up resources for the plants you're most interested in. And a garden with clear boundaries between wild and domesticated makes my heart happy. It just says, "This place is cared for, watched over, protected...loved."

No, the most amazing benefit of weeding is how it forces me to literally crawl on my hands and knees around my plants. I can't tell you how many things I've noticed, how many problems I've caught early on, or how many moments I've marveled at the work going on in this little ecosystem. So, while weeding isn't my favorite part of gardening, it's a fantastic tool that makes me a better and happier gardener.

That said, I don't actually have to do much weeding. Almost every inch is mulched, it's watered regularly, and the beds themselves are never walked on, so weeds are pretty easy to pull when they do pop up. Maybe that's why I can experience the zen this year. It's nothing like the drudgery I remembered from childhood ;)