A typical day in the garden Monday, July 21, 2008

Frequent breezes kept us cool throughout the day, and a few clouds drifted by to block the sun's rays. We started at 9 o'clock in the morning by first heavily watering our plants. Temperatures have been rising and moisture evaporates quickly, so daily watering is crucial.

Our main objective for the day was to mulch the large flowerbeds that border the front of the garden, as well as the YF flowerbed in the center. Even with several inches of mulch, weeds can still be problematic, so we put down a layer of black plastic first. We cut up almost 800 sq. feet of plastic into several sheets and then placed it over the plants after cutting holes for each one. Plastic isn't only for keeping weeds out, it also helps to keep the water in. Playful gusts of wind kept things interesting, and we had to run after a few stray sheets.

Mulching took a while, and we ended up using three truckloads (about 140 cu. ft.) of black mulch. We enjoyed the fellowship and sang a few hymns as we worked together. The scenery and the beautiful weather was inspiring and the atmosphere wonderful.

The grass walkways grow fast, since they benefit from the frequent watering, so we carefully mowed the whole area and then trimmed around the 72 beds with a weed-eater.

Even with daily watering, some of our plants didn't seem to be keeping enough moisture, so we put straw over some of the dry beds. It will also help prevent the fruit from rotting later on by keeping it off the ground.

Only a few weeks ago, the ground of the garden was bare except for the transplants. Today almost everything is flourishing. We're thankful that the Lord has blessed us with healthy plants, good weather, and wonderful fellowship. We finished up about 3 o' clock and left for home after saying our goodbyes.