Rototilling!

It was finally dry enough to till, so today was the day. A friend at the garden plots let me borrow his tiller so we hefted it up and turned over the tomato, brassica, dahlia, and carrot beds. Normally with raised bed vegetable growing you don't need to rototill each spring, as the beds usually get through winter in fine condition and only require hoeing up the top 4-6". In our case the soil was so compacted that the beds had to be broken up deeply to at least 12". Forgot my camera so Em took a cell phone pic.

I look a little nervous. Big rototillers aren't really made for raised beds...

Sowed some more seed as well:

- 4 row feet Oriental Giant Hybrid Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)
- 8 sq. foot bed of Red, Golden, and Chioggia Beets mix (Beta vulgaris)

Since we've had cold nights (still below 40 degrees), I've been moving the tomatoes out for the day and back inside for the night for a few days now. Tonight they will stay outside for the first night in the little cold frame. Doing well and many are budding. Roots are already filling the quart sized pots.


I'll probably head back out in the next few days to finish up bed preparation for all the sowing and transplanting soon to come. Bellingham's average last frost is May 5!