Gardening Level 17, Unlocked.

During the last Gardening Level, the weeds won. Between a very rainy spring and early summer, my very demanding day job, and hustling kids to all their activities – I could not stay ahead of the weeds. We managed to pull some amazing produce from the garden and put away a few pickles, green beans, and salsa – but, nothing like the season before.

This year, we are combatting the weeds with raised garden beds. We have already started construction with cedar planks from the Mennonite sawmill in Lead Mine and recycled galvanized steel – something we inherited a ton of when we acquired Grampa’s property in 2020. Tom isn’t sure, but he believes the steel came from material Grampa saved when the historic Howard Chapel Church was rebuilt. I love the fact that we are repurposing material that would otherwise be scrapped.

Before starting our construction, Tom and I did a lot of research. We were mostly worried that something like steel might contaminate our soil. But, we learned that not only is this building material safe but it also seems to be the new garden trend. We were worried about the material breaking down too quickly, but the zinc coating requires acidity to break down and because most garden soils are neutral, there’s little to no impact. Plus, zinc is an essential plant micronutrient and a normal part of the soil.

And so, the construction has begun! We have seven of the 15 beds we plan to use built and have mapped out our summer veggie garden.

This year we are planting:

• Red, Yellow, and White Onions
• Lettuce
• Spinach
• Bell Peppers
• Jalapenos
• Tomatoes – of all kinds, including cherry
• Cucumbers
• Green Beans
• Zucchini
• and Flowers for the bees

We have always talked about, but never took the time, to start a fall/winter garden. This year, I hope to be able to continue the lettuce and spinach into the cooler months. I also want to grow dill, cilantro, and garlic – for pickling and our homemade salsa!

Stay tuned as we battle the dreaded weeds and build our skillset for Gardening Level 18.