How Does Your Garden Grow?

Alright, let's check in to see how your garden is growing! This year, as planned, I started out using the hay mulch method, as loved by Ruth Stout, who wrote the book on it. After I'd witnessed my very droopy, withering basil that needed watering 2x daily completely thrive to the tune of growing 3x as big and hardly needing watering again (or weeding), I was convinced. It was my neighbor who introduced me to this hay method when he came over to put down the hay because he couldn't resist converting me to the Ruth Stout method.

Trouble is, this year I planted seeds before putting the hay down. And, I didn't mark where I seeded. And I didn't trust that all seeds would grow, so I threw down a bunch, and a bunch has sprouted! Wonk.

Because I was late on the hay, I had to wait for seed growth to emerge before I put hay down. Which resulted in two big rounds of weeding, and as you can see, mini weeding still needed because the hay isn't covering the nooks and crannies around each plant.

But, I have not needed to water my pees, tomatoes, carrots, basil, cilantro or parsley! This week's constant overcast is helping, with the light drizzles keeping everybody plenty hydrated.

To my husband's dismay, I have also hay mulched our recently transplanted hostas in the back, and two little widow boxes that don't catch rain and usually dry out. Hopefully everything will grow better and he will let me keep the hay...