The First Planting

Well we finally did it, we got some seeds in the ground!  I am so excited!  I finally had enough time, and a working staple gun, to finish the first bed.  After lining the bottom of the bed with hard ware cloth and stapling all the sides, I mixed my soil, and poured it in the bed.

 I used a mixture of about 2:1 top soil and composted manure.  My 4x6 bed ended up taking all the soil I had, so one bed is enough today.  I mixed the soil in my wheelbarrow first, then again with a hoe in the bed.  Tessie was dying of impatience as I finally announced we were ready to plant the seeds.  This bed is one of our partial shade beds, it gets good sun in the morning, a little shade mid day, and more shade in the late afternoon, so we decided it would be perfect for our lettuces.  I was planning on transplanting starters from inside, but as you know, that didn't work out.  So Tes and I gathered the seeds we needed, and got started.  I made a shallow trough for the seeds, and she delicately sprinkled them in, then helped me mound the dirt over the top of the trough.  I followed the instructions on the packet for seed depth and row spacing, and will thin accordingly once they have sprouted.  We ended up with two rows the width of our bed of romaine lettuce and bibb lettuce, one row of spinach, and two half rows (just to the middle of the bed) of arugula and sorrel.  We watered them well, I plan on putting in a soaker hose soon, and then sat back to admire our work.  I will let you know when they start to pop up, Tes and I can't wait!