You can tell spring has arrived. The ground is no longer frozen solid and dirt is moving all over the county. Literally. When a project begins, the rich dark fertile soil is scraped up into big heaps, sifted and sent to garden plots in Rogers, new yards in Centerton or raised beds in Bella Vista (I feel your pain). What began as a farmer's pasture rich with the gift that cows leave behind is now the black gold gardeners dream of.
Or, the stuff of nightmares.
What appears as rich, dark, dreamy garden soil is often full of weed seeds just waking up after a long sleep under the carpet of pasture grasses. Feeling the warmth of sunlight, they emerge right where you don't want them: In your precious garden plot.
Now the battle begins. This is not a war for the faint of heart but it can be won. Knowledge is power.
Truth one: A seed can only sprout once. If a gardener is vigilant and takes a small rake through the garden plot weekly, cutting off the tiny sprouts at the base, they can no longer grow and will become compost to feed the plants you DO want to grow. This can efficiently, over time, reduce those weed seeds until there are no more (theoretically speaking).
Truth two: Plants and trees want to replicate themselves, desperately. One tree in particular wreaked havoc on our farm last year. The Elm. Darn thing sent seeds everywhere. My raised bed was covered in these papery packages -- each containing one very viable seed. They rooted well. In fact, I'm still pulling those fast-growing saplings out of my landscape.
Truth three: There are still rocks and clay in sifted "topsoil." One particularly nefarious load, once rained upon, revealed layer upon layer of gravel. Then what once appeared to be luscious dark topsoil was in fact tons of clay.
The best thing you can do for your new garden, or old one for that matter, is to put in good ole compost. Rich rotting organic material will be to your growing plants what a Route 44 is to a soda addict. Sheer pleasure.
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Editor's note: Mechel Wall is owner and operator of both The Cottage Flower Shop and Wallflower Farm. She can be contacted at [email protected] or 479-531-5950.
Editorial on 03/21/2018