Weedfest 2011

(probably will get some interesting hits from that title, no?)

Nope, I don't mean that kind of weeds.  I mean this kind of weeds.

The weedy kind of weeds.  In other words....crabgrass.

I have spent a SERIOUS amount of time the last week or so pulling crabgrass out of the vegetable patch.  So much so, that when I close my eyes, I see.....crabgrass.  Since this is its first year, and since the area was grass for many years before this, it wants to go back to being grass again.  I have logged many hours this year pulling the damn stuff, and boy, have I moved loads and loads of it.  I believe I'm up to my 7th full wheelbarrow, not counting the one in the picture above, because it wasn't full when I took the picture.

I blame my weed issues on three things:   1)  It's a first year garden, turned out of grass.  Every first year garden made out of a grassy area always does this to me, especially if I till the soil.  2)  I didn't mulch heavily enough.  3)  I didn't plant things closely enough, nor did I plant enough things in the patches.  Empty dirt=weeds.  'Nuff said.

The nice thing about weeding, if there is one, is not only that it is really pretty relaxing, but it's that you get a really close look at your plants and can see what's growing (or not growing).  So I share with you some of the cool things I saw while I was weeding today.

MAGENTA corn silk.  I've never seen that before.  This is the silk of the plant "Country Gentleman", an heirloom shoe-peg corn.

A little orangey pumpkin hiding in the weeds and vines.  Did anyone else ever notice that pumpkins seem to hide, or is it just me?  You go out one day, and you see four pumpkins on a million vines, and you think "That stinks.  8 million leaves and 4 pumpkins."  Then you go out 15 minutes later and find that there are really 27 pumpkins, not 4, you just didn't see them.  They hide, I swear.  Oh, and did you also notice that you can never find the pumpkin you just found a minute ago when you look for it the second time?  Or is it just me again?  I don't know what that's all about. 

Lumina Pumpkins. 

Out of all the pumpkins I started from seed this year, these did the best.  They took off running and had the most beautiful leaves when they were ready to be planted up.  They also seem to be the most prolific.  I recommend them!

Bat Wings. 

This pumpkin was the most difficult to grow.  The seedlings were slow to germinate, and pathetic when they were ready to be put out.  I didn't have much hope, but 3 of them made it.  This is the first one to make the pumpkin it's supposed to make--green on the bottom, orange on the top.  Pretty cool.

Out of all the melons I planted, both muskmelon and watermelon alike, they pretty much thumbed their noses at me until now.  And see what I found?

Little bitty melon babies!!  This is Cream of Saskatchewan, an heirloom watermelon.  Yes, I like the heirloom varieties.  I actually found 3 of these today.  Hurray!

The muskmelons, however, are still thumbing their noses at me.  Stupid muskmelons.

So, weeding isn't all bad.  You get good and dirty, lots of exercise, and lots of sunshine.  And lots of compost materials.  Just make sure your pile gets plenty hot to kill all those seeds, or we'll all being doing this again next year.

Cheers!