MISTAKES

Do you ever wonder why you do something when in the process of doing it a still, small voice is telling you not to?  That still, small voice starts in your stomach and you don't listen.  Then it moves to the back of your skull and you still don't listen.  Then it moves to your forehead and you STILL don't listen.  You are not listening because you are in a hurry to get to your other job.

Then when your husband calls later in the afternoon and says, "Did the tomatoes look beat up this morning when you put them out?"  "Ahhh no," you answer.  You still don't know it's because you didn't listen to that still, small voice.  When you get home and go down and check on them and think ----  #$%^!! if I had only waited this morning.

MANURE TEA RECIPE:  Place one or two shovelfuls of fresh or dried manure in a permeable bag.  The finer the holes in the bag, the less likely it is that weed seeds from the manure will get into your tea.  Burlap bags are best, but perforated plastic or mesh bags will work.  Tie the bag closed , then place it in a barrel or other large container filled with water.  Make sure the bag is submerged.  Allow your "teabag" to steep for about a week.  You can apply manure tea at full strength for periodic feedings or dilute it and use it whenever you water your plants.  Do not apply undiluted manure tea directly onto plant foliage - it will injure plant tissue.  (Adapted from Rodale's - Organic Gardening.)  Manure is a prime source of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, and is rich in bacteria.  We happen to have one of the best manure's available - horse!

Have you guessed yet what happened?   In the morning before I head to the bike shop I have to water the oldest tomatoes in the hardening process.  They have been outside for over a week but still in their four inch pots in flats.  I decided they need a little boost and so this particular morning I watered with DILUTED manure tea.  BUT because I was in a hurry I wasn't as careful as I needed to be to protect the foliage from the enriched water even though it was diluted.  SO consequently the vast majority of them (I am not revealing numbers) look, well - not so good.  Fried would be a good word. 

The lesson - always listen to that still, small voice.

The next challenge - to see how Friday and Saturday night go in beating the predicted frost.  How well will the row covers protect 100 tomato plants?  The current predicted low for Saturday night is 31 - that means our gardens could get to 26 degrees.  The row covers are suppose to provide 4 to 5 degrees of protection.  Hmmmm....it's going to be close.