This spring-fed pond was dug out last year from what was only a slightly soggy low end of the field. It holds around 30-40,000 gallons of water for not so rainy days. The barrel acts as a float, holding in position, suspended above the muck on the bottom, a plastic intake pipe that leads to the pump.
Thin green lines
Notice those lovely, hazy green lines. The first signs of direct seeded crops is always on your mind. You can’t cultivate the soil for weeds until you know where your veggies are. If germination is slow—because of cool weather, dry conditions, or both—the weeds can easily get ahead of you before you’ve seen anything at all.
Water!
No April showers to speak of this year means it’s irrigation time already. Sprinklers aren’t anywhere near efficient, but they cover a lot of area quickly. This makes them a labor-saving choice for germination and tiny seedlings, where frequent but light watering is required in dry weather.
Scary?
The Scare-Eyes ball seems to work on birds and, from what I’ve seen, cows. I use it for beans, a favorite bird target. A lot of scientific-sounding info comes with each ball. The shapes and mylar circles are supposed to look like predatory birds to other birds. They come in three colors, which you’re supposed to rotate every three weeks, with six balls minimum to an acre. There’s been only the one yellow one for the last couple of years, but this year, I got three more: yellow, black and white… Better safe than picked to pieces by BIRDS!
It’s a start…
Peas planted in early April finally poking up. These are Sugar Ann snap peas, you can eat the pod and all.
Sunny day
When it’s raining, you wait for the sun. After a few days of sun, you look out for some rain. Cloudy and dry isn’t much good for growing, but it’s perfect for working in the field, ideal for transplanting, and better for germinating seeds as long as it’s also warm. Windy isn’t helpful: even in a stiff breeze, sprinklers are way less efficient and steady wind will dry out the soil, and plants, faster than anything. Then again, air movement moderates temperature, spreads pollen, and generally keeps things moving. So you kind of need it all…