Saturday, December 27, 2008

Weeding Carrots ARRRRGGGG

Weedy Carrot Bed
 

Gratuitous picture of Tisha
 

It looks like the Monkeys put too much hay in the bunny hutch
 
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Weeding Carrots is a job, a really bad job. Hen bit, chickweed, and volunteer lettuce have invaded my carrot bed. It is very hard to remove the weeds without pulling up carrot seedlings. This led to a very frustrating afternoon. I hope I didn't pull up to many baby carrots. I even resorted to an Internet search on "how to weed carrots." There was no miracle carrot weeding technique, just as there is no miracle weight loss pill. Still, you can't blame a girl for trying. I did come across this little gem of information, "Soil disturbance caused by cultivation exposes locked up organic material and minerals to oxygen, water, and microorganisms for decomposition." So weeding helps our plants in two ways; removing the competing plants and releasing nutrients. That explains why a newly weeded bed performs so much better. So now I have a different perspective on weeding. Even if the beds are not perfectly cultivated, the work done, however imperfectly, will improve the crop. I no longer feel the pressure from Perfect Weeding Aspiration Syndrome (PWAS). What a relief.

Do you suffer from a syndrome related to an unrealistic gardening goal? If so, please tell.

15 comments:

  1. LOL. I did the same thing. I have made a couple of attempts at veggie gardening when we lived in Big Lake. The weeds always got away from me and I just couldn't motivate myself to get out there and weed. I'm a bit of a perfectionist you know, so I never really thought I did a good enough job so I just gave up weeding eventually. Well, you can see where I'm going with that I'm sure. This time I'm on meds AND I'm not starting out in a weed infested garden to begin with so I'm hoping the third time's the charm.

    Sorry, there I go running off at the mouth again. What was my point? Um, I forgot.

    Is it an unrealistic gardening goal to plan to have the kids help with weeding? Because I'm pretty sure I'm unrealisitc already and I haven't even started the veggie garden yet.

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  2. Yes Cinj, you have undiagnosed KIWI Syndrome or Kid Involved Weeding Ideation Syndrome.

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  3. Interesting. We are growing carrots in a styrofoam box on a table because of the chickens but I fear they may fail, unlike the bumper crop of radish we grew the same way. My peas, that led me to you Debbi, are long gone.

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  4. Foxy, I'm sorry your peas are gone, there will be more next year. I am, however, very glad they led you here and therefore me to your blog.

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  5. I want you old Singer sewing machine :)

    I can just imagine how frustrating weeding those carrots must have been! I wonder if the really small ones can be replanted. Hmmm. I guess that would be a lot of work though!

    Amy

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  6. Amy, I bought the sewing machine at First Monday Trade Days in Canton Texas. There is a man there who sells all sorts of old sewing machines. I suppose that is a little far for you to drive though:) I don't know if the seedling carrots can be replanted. I guess I should have tried.

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  7. HA! What kind of syndrome is it when you won't pull up the weeds until you see what they are and if they will do anything interesting?

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  8. Dawn, It sounds as if you have a common ailment known as Weeds Might Be Flowers Syndrome or WMBFS. There is no know cure. I have it myself.

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  9. Well, I go outside and feel compelled somehow to pick up every little twig in my gravel. Does that count?
    Brenda

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  10. Debbie .. you have found a positive after shock to weeding now .. you are a happy camper right ? LOL
    I just glanced at your other post on an unnatural warm evening .. I have to laugh because we Canucks in south eastern Ontario are raving about the temps up to 12 Celsius !!! My god it is a heat wave to us .. and so much snow is gone with these freaky high winds .. who knows what is next .. makes me a little paranoid ?? haha

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  11. I've started weeding my beds this week too while the weather is nice. The winter weeds are thriving. lol Good to know that the weeding actually helps the other plants. That should give me proper motivation to keep it up.

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  12. Hi My Little Family, thanks we think there are pretty darling too.

    Brenda, obsessive stick picking wish I had it.

    Joy, I feel your weather pain. Ours changes so fast it makes us a little crazy.

    Racquel, I hope it works on me. Nothing else has motivated me very well.

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  13. Something so common sense and yet never said. Brilliant! Looks like you have a lot of lettuce in that bed too.

    I did not see the cat in the picture for a long time. Tick pic.

    We are having very warm weather. I took a look at my back beds and they look like weed's r us. I'm going to burn them with manure and bury their ever blooming butts.

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  14. Hi Anna, Tisha blends. I think you maure idea is awsome. I wish i could use it on the carrot bed, but it would kill the carrots.

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