Farming Again

Do you remember my reservations about using straw in my newest lasagna bed? So far, one of my fears have been realized.

Today, as I layered leaves over the bed, I noticed green, grass-like blades emerging from the straw. At first, I thought my dutch iris had sprouted. Then, I thought some of the original grass had forced its way through the newspaper. Upon closer inspection, I realized that the seeds that had been present in the pine straw had germinated. I'm growing a crop of grain in the front yard.

There is a silver lining to all of this: the grain weeds are sure to die over the winter. Had the seeds germinated in the spring, I would have had to pull them. Just one more reason to love a good, hard frost.