Actually it was really fun to do. Even at 25*F. The birds are singing and all over the place. and the dogs ran around and had a great time. I ended up getting quite warm and was in one thin jacket by the time I finished up. Good exercise.
I had forgotten that the gate needs to be dug out to get into the garden. Fortunately my gate opens out. I dug down, cracked the ice of the latches, opened the gate and was in my garden for the first time in three months.
Once in the garden I used my snow shoes to pack down a path. I looked up my garden planting diagram and saw that peas were planned for bed 3. So I began digging out bed 3. I should have brought a tape measure, but the snow was up well above my knees. It was 4 feet a few weeks ago, but probably down to 3 feet now.
I dug down to the soil level in the pea-to-be-bed. There is a nice green growth of rye grass. And below that I gave the soil a tap with the snow shovel, the soil is frozen solid. I hope some time with sun shining on it that the soil will begin to thaw. My experiment is to see if it thaws faster now that I have shoveled it.
I suspect I will continue to shovel as I did enjoy it. A preview of the gardening season and I'm so much wanting to be out there again in the dirt. Shoveling snow from my garden is next best.
9 comments:
I think you need to change the name of your blog to "Skippy's EXTREME Vegetable Gardening"! Woman, you are one die-hard gardener.
My husband used the snowblower to reach my raised beds yesterday. I planned on digging out just the bed for the peas but ended up clearing everything so that the sides of the beds would be exposed to warming sunlight. It was so much fun! The warmer temps started to melt the small amount of snow that remained on the top of the beds. Then this morning - it was snowing! In my cleared beds! Hopefully it'll melt quickly. Deb S.
YEs!! Why not be extreme! Its more fun.
But even I hadn't of using a snow blower! Wow. Now that's an idea....
Last year I bought biochar for the garden. I wish I had it this year. I could put a thin layer of black on the snow. I bet it would melt out so much faster that way.
I need to clean out my chicken coop. Would it help to lay down the very poopy straw on the bed? Or would that insulate the cold soil and slow thawing?
I'm not sure. I would think straw would insulate it too well.
I put fresh straw on a bed in fall and it appears to insulate the ice. Another pile that was actively compsting chicken manure late fall is helping melt snow around it. I'm glad I'm not the only one shoveling snow off the garden. The chicken-tillers like it, too. How melted do you wait before seeding peas? -MH
Before seeding peas soil needs to be fully thawed or the seed can rot. You don't want to plant peas in mud. Since temps are cold, it can take a while for the seed to sprout and risk of rot before sprouting is high.
What are chicken-tillers?
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