It’s Alive it’s Alive

That’s a little hyperbole.

Dr. Frankenstein’s exultation was a much bigger deal, and certainly in a different realm.

But real garden success is something to shout about too. After three years trying to grow in dreaded black-gumbo clay soil – with little to show for it – I finally have tangible progress.

[Please see Archives  23 June article: DRAT THAT DIRT as the set-up piece.]

The red lettuce shown above was put in soil this past mid-October. Droopy and moribund the six plants were in the last end-of-season flat I bought. The challenge to restore them to vigor was too great to pass up.

A confession needs to be made: they grow on gumbo soil and not in it.

This past fall I heeded the advice of our Ag Extension agent in La Grange, put my gumbo single-mindedness aside – temporarily – and reluctantly went with a raised bed. The dirt filling the box is one yard of top soil I bought, transported, and unloaded by hand.

I amended it following the prescription that came with its A & M soil tests.

Now what?

How about Swiss chard, spinach, green lettuce, maybe celery seedlings, all sown initially in pots beginning the first of the year? The resulting cool weather plants will be able to hit the dirt running in late February or early March.

By then I will have a second raised bed ready for planting too. The goal remains to be practically self-sufficient in 2015 growing fresh produce without chemical assistance.

In the meantime I will savor an early winter salad with some of the pictured red lettuce.

Happily, it is healthfully alive.