Two Victories

Yesterday I took the boys to the garden and we completed two major projects that have been casting a long shadow over my seed-starting days: the Great Cardboard Project, and the asparagus planting. 

I'm counting the Great Cardboard Project as finished, even though technically there are still two sides of the garden that haven't been cardboarded.  The back I'm leaving bare because it is where I will be dumping soil when I plant the potatoes, and where I plan to scrape up extra soil for hilling the potatoes as they grow.  I may or may not put in a carboard path on the right side of the plot.  I didn't do it yet because it borders one of the garlic beds, which were planted in the fall, so along that stretch there's no good place to dump soil.  Also, I've been thinking that maybe I'd like to have an extra foot of cultivated space for the front beds. 

The asparagus that we planted was the last three pots from last year's asparagus experiment.  I dug a trench about 11 inches deep, loosed the soil under it, then added fertilizer and garden acidifier.  I put in the potted plants - sans pots - and filled in to the level of the potted soil.  I'll add more soil to the surface from the adjacent (empty) space once they start coming up, just as I intend to do with the ones I planted at home.  The roots looked really good, just like the ones we planted at home, so I'm hopeful that they'll do well.

Here's some fun news: the park service has decided to use the plot next to mine as a community space, with a compost bin and - just installed - a picnic table!  There have even been rumblings about a community herb garden.