The Cake Garden

I knew I was saving those flimsy plastic cake domes from supermarket-bought birthday cakes for a reason.

Though nights are still below freezing here in early April, the bed against the house, warmed by radiant heat from the foundation and dotted with plastic cake domes, becomes a microclimate for early salad fixins.

Slugs prefer pak choi 10 to 1 over spinach.



Legend has it that a circle of copper deters slugs. The science behind that claim is that copper produces a mild electric charge when in contact with moisture, and slugs find that most irritating. Unraveled copper scouring pads twisted into collars for baby pac choi look like weird plant jewelry.

What the heck is erba stella anyway? I hope it's not like arugula.

Does this seem obsessive to you?

When English Gardens called last week and said their 4cu ft bags of vermiculite were finally in, I could hardly contain myself. Prepped 8 raised beds, planted 5 raspberry bushes and 2 blueberry bushes over Easter weekend, still can't bend at the waist without shooting lower back pain, but won't admit to myself that I "overdid" it. Just today spent half an hour outside right before sunset in the pouring rain planting the peas. And I never forget to say goodbye to the seedlings on the grow shelf when I leave for work.