An Unruly Child

I have come to the conclusion that having a large garden 
is much like raising a child.
It takes an inordinate amount of supervision...
and if you turn your back for just a little,
it goes completely out of control!

That is exactly what has happened
in my strawberry garden.
While I have focussed my energy on the vegetable garden,
enjoying the fruits of my labor, 
like this...

and this....

the strawberry patch has become unruly and completely out of control.
Weeds are everywhere.

(Everywhere that the gourds haven't taken over!)
Not just little weeds, 
but...
 big, 
ugly, 
tenacious weeds.

That's it!
Warfare.
Unfortunately, though, because of my steadfast adherence to organic practices,
I must pull each of these weeds by hand.

And that is just what I did....
yesterday 
for 6 hours!

Here is the result....

Even Maddie and Oakley were exhausted!!
My gator was overflowing with "weedage".

Meanwhile the vegetable garden continues to be prolific...
with more tomatoes and cucumbers than I can possibly use.
The peppers and eggplant continue to produce,
as well as the beans and watermelons.

I have replanted the cilantro

and the basil.

After all....what good are tomatoes without fresh basil and cilantro?

I have cleaned out the spent crops 
and gotten the boxes ready for fall planting...

I have also planted a fall broccoli crop,
and ornamental cabbage and kale for autumn eye appeal.

Now, how about some fresh bruschetta...
or maybe some salsa fresca!!!

Don't worry, while I am doing that,
I will keep one eye on the strawberry patch.
There is no way I am letting it get so out of hand again!
Maybe it just needs a little "time out"!

Comments

Anke said…
Wow, you had a lot of weeds to pull! 6 hours of doing that, I bet you were tired last night! Your garden still looks so pretty, ours is in a sad state right now. The heat is just getting to everything - the tomatoes are almost all pulled up and the cucumbers are all gone. Sniff...
Anonymous said…
good grief!!!!
Unknown said…
Girl you never quit!!! Good for you....you make a fine looking Farmgirl. Oh, the weeding...so proud of you...my front bed looks like the strawberry patch did. Ugh!
WOW. I'm impressed. You put me to shame. My veggie garden is shameful, as well my perennial beds are starting to be the same. I just can't take the heat out there, and when I try to go out early, the skeeters eat me alive. Truth is, I've plum lost interest in it all right now. It's just been so hot and humid. Sigh. If you can do it - I can do it! I'm inspired!
Lisa said…
That's nothing. After hardly a week, the weeds here were so thick and high that we couldn't do anything but mow the garden. Some places reached almost to my shoulders!

Strangely enough I wasn't the only one around here with the same problem. Lots of sun and no rain is not good.
Jayme stole my exact words - "you put me to shame"!!! How do you do it? I didn't even try to save my poor strawberries... Other things I pretended to care about... Flowers are just more fun/EASY... Thanks for the kick in the pants!