[gardeners] Friday in the Garden

Allen and Judy Merten (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Sat, 15 Jan 2000 08:45:46 -0600 

Hi All,
    I've been working in the garden off and on since Wednesday.
The time spent out there fluctuates according to my "backablitiy"
that day.
    I had let things go unattended since the end of last springs
garden. No fall garden activity except a few tomato plants that
didn't set fruit because of the heat and drought. So, I have had
to remove lots of my neighbors pasture grass that migrated under
the fence. I'm not sure of the spelling but it sounds like
"Mahaya" grass. It has runners like Bermuda, and roots from hell.
It's roots go as deep as 2-1/2 feet in my sand. The roots are
like runners also. I have hauled seven commercial type
wheelbarrow loads of grass and roots out of the garden since
Wednesday. I haven't cleared that much area either.
    I have managed to plant 26 clumps of Green bunching onions,
48 1015Y onions, 48 white onions, and 18 Rio Verde cabbage
plants. I have a gallon bucket full of bunching onion sets and 2
more bunches of 1015Y onions to plant. I should wind up with
about 250 bulbing onions and 100 or more bunching onions. Can you
tell that I love onions? We use lots of them in salsa and
pickles, too.
    The weather has been beautiful. We have had record highs
almost everyday this past week. I've been doing most of my
gardening in shorts and short sleeve shirt, mesh (summer style)
baseball cap and sunglasses.
    Going down to Dad's farm today to visit and see if he will
let me use his rear tined tiller for a couple of weeks. I need to
get on the stick. Potatos have to be in the ground by Valentine's
Day. The speed that I am doing things now would get the potatos
in the ground by the 4th of July.
    Judy keeps telling me (as I hobble around) to quit gardening
a big area. Pooh! I think she'd rather here the moans and groans
than have to live with a crazy man. Got to have something to do
outside in order to keep my sanity.
    Got to get ready to go to the farm. Hope every one has good
weather to play in the dirt. Well, never mind you Yankee folks. I
saw your weather predictions. At least yall don't have to look at
the calendar to see what month it is. We have had temperatures as
high as 84* in Bastrop Co. Just about 100 miles nw of us the
temp. reached 88* one day this week!! Let me see that calendar!
    Allen
    Bastrop Co., SE Central Tx.
    Zone 8