‘Tis the fabulous season – of plotting and planning our plans of plots. 

Gardening. Bring it on.

I once read a painted sign which read something about gardening being better than therapy, because you get tomatoes.

Indeed, finding time to garden and immerse oneself in cool breezes and compost mode, to be encompassed within the surroundings of vining veggies and colorful blossoms has that zen-like peace vibe.

Perhaps this is because of deep satisfaction found in harvesting an abundance of nutritious goodness that will save a few bucks at the next market run.

But really, it’s because there are no floor-strewn Legos to skip around or poopy diapers to swab up when you’re in the garden.

One should hope not.

But I’m totally getting ahead of myself here.

Each year my husband and I eagerly get crackin’ on our garden grid software so that we can be a bit off the grid ourselves, living off the land where produce is concerned (We’re not true homesteaders by a long shot; we like our livestock pre-packaged in grocery coolers).

By mapping our garden grids, we plan what’s to grow in our raised beds, no square foot of nutrient-dense compost left behind. 

We contemplate what has grown reliably, what hasn’t so much, what to nix this year because-we-don’t-eat-it-anyway, and what could be a cool new experimental addition to our bountiful rows.
Gardening is a strange concept to we Type A’ers; we plant our tiny seedlings in straight line formation with really no control over what will actually come of it.

We have no idea what mixed bag balance of sun and rain will set in over the next few months, no assurance of what will become abundant, or what will become a bust.

After our big planting, we’ll spend the summer pruning, cultivating, harvesting, reveling – in no weeds. 

Because we’re too busy growing two-leggeds who are already growing like weeds – only way cuter – I really don’t have time for the obnoxious green kind that stubbornly sprouts up between seedlings and stifles out what I’m actually trying to grow on purpose.

So enter the weed block tarp.

This beauty makes life on the farm kinda laid back.

After our first few years gardening – read: learning big lessons through trial and several errors – we had become quite miserable with the significant hunks of time spent tearing out them nasty weeds.

We wanted to reap what we’d sown, and so thanks to a very wise, green-thumbed friend, we turned to weed tarp, a black roll of ground cover barrier which is laid over a freshly tilled bed and staked taut at the edges to ensure that no weeds shall pass.

Then, we poked holes where seeds and seedlings were planted directly into the ground.

This heavy duty mesh fabric works because it allows in the rain and heat, but no weeds can penetrate through.

While we’ve heard mixed reviews about weed block tarp, my husband and I have had fantastic luck with this fabulous product, which can be purchased at most home improvement stores.

And when all is said and done, this fall will give you more time to blanch and freeze bonus veggies, and reap those carrots and potatoes just in time for fall stew season.

Because if gardening really is likened to a therapeutic experience, then we’d much rather focus on the tomatoes.

— Michelle Cote is the creative director of the Journal Tribune and a nationally-syndicated columnist. She enjoys cooking, baking, and living room dance-offs with her husband, two boys and a dog. She can be contacted at mcote@journaltribune.com.