Community Garden: Halloween ghosts found throughout town

Halloween may be a little less crowded this year! Did you notice the other morning all the ghosts lying in the bushes? It seems that when it gets real cold and the ghosts are caught outside unexpectedly, they freeze while in flight and just fall to the ground. All those white ghost skins fall all over the bushes and plants and other things in people’s front yard.

Some people put sheets out to cover their plants so you have to look close to tell the difference. There seemed to be a lot of frozen ghosts a week or so ago. I am glad I didn’t have any in my yard or in my garden or flowerbeds. I would hate to clean that up. I can only assume what it must be like to walk outside and see frozen ghost skins or hides, if you will, laying all over the yard.

So you will understand if Halloween is a little less crowded with ghosts this year. But that is it. Time to get that garden in the ground and let the competition begin between you and your neighbor. Remember that the first gardener that irritates people the most by giving away vegetables wins the contest. Those first new seedlings should be popping up through the soil in about a week and you will have to take care of them. After they get their first leaves you need to put some mulch around them to help regulate the temperature and moisture level so that they will grow stronger and faster. Don’t put too much water on them. Just pay close attention to them and you can tell what they need.

Remember to check the soil and see if it feels damp and loose. Once you plant your seeds in the ground you have to be patient. Remember the old saying about “a watched pot never boils”, or something like that? Well the same goes for seed watching! The more you watch, the longer it takes for that seed to come popping through the soil. Then one morning you walk out there and you have sprouts that are three inches tall and really taking off. You are so proud when that happens and you spend more time than before just watching and taking of your new babies.

Gardeners are a strange bunch of people! Most people do not understand the things that make gardeners happy and no one understands how a little green thing can make someone so extremely happy. All in all, a very sick bunch of people! The garden has been worked over and soil enhancements put in and everything adjusted to make a better growing season with a larger production.

The main planting day is going to be May the 14th. I know, I know, you will be picking green beans and tomatoes by then but the garden will produce a whole lot more for quantity and the quality will be really great. So put that date on your calendar.