Mark J. Halliday Poet Abecedarian

Notes About The Poem

I'm in the middle of planning out a backyard garden.  So far I've got blackberry and raspberry bushes, and just ordered about 40 varieties of vegetables and medicinal herbs online.  I plan to build a structure with garden netting for vining plants to climb, with lower plants and root vegetables around them.  Been re-consulting library books like Carrots Love Tomatoes, Vertical Gardening, etc. to figure what to put where next to what....

Spring Garden Prep

SPRING GARDEN PREPARATION (20150213)

After the winter season
But before the rains begin
Catalogues of heirloom seeds
Delivered just in time
Earmarked and prioritized
Farmer’s Almanac consulted
Given planting periods
Horoscopes included (but useless!)
Individual seed varieties ordered
Junk mail shredded and added to compost
K (potassium) added as potash
Lumber purchased for trellises
Mulching around transplanted seedlings
Non-Genetically Modified Organisms only
Organic fertilizers only, too 
Planting by phases of the moon
Quick-fix pesticides are anathema
(Round-Up kills everything--US, not just weeds)
Seed boxes keeping seedlings warm
Testing the soil for minerals and organics
Unleashing ladybugs and pollinators 
Vertical gardening to conserve space
Watering just enough, but not too much
Xenocide, killing unwanted weed species
Youngsters helping (or hindering)
Zoning plants to vary root depths

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Andrea Dietrich February 28, 2015 at 7:27 PM your entry in this contest was super original and fresh! Congrats. A very nice one.

Casarah Nance February 28, 2015 at 8:22 AM I like it, clever and creative just like you Mark! I'm ready for a garden now! Mark J. Halliday March 2, 2015 at 11:10 AM Time to plant is now! Spent the weekend turning soil, and mixing in about a dozen bags of soil, compost, and steer/horse/chicken manures. Yard has a lot of clay in it sadly.

Connie Marcum Wong February 28, 2015 at 1:42 AM Your garden sounds wonderful! You will soon be enjoying the fruits of your labor. Congrats onyour win Mark. I enjoyed this poem, from a kindred spirit! Mark J. Halliday March 2, 2015 at 11:08 AM Isn't actually planted yet. Prepared over the weekend about half of the terrain. Having a lot of clay there, added a lot of new soil, compost, and 3 kinds of manure. Need to build a structure now for climbing veggies.

Skat A February 27, 2015 at 11:21 PM Mark, Congratulations **SKAT LOVE** Mark J. Halliday March 2, 2015 at 11:06 AM Thanks Skat.

Eve Roper February 27, 2015 at 10:45 PM Congratulations on your win. Blessings Mark J. Halliday March 2, 2015 at 11:06 AM Glad you liked it. Thanks for commenting.

Sara Kendrick February 27, 2015 at 2:16 PM Clever way to go for the contest..Sara Mark J. Halliday March 2, 2015 at 11:06 AM Glad you liked it. Thanks for commenting.

Sara Kendrick February 27, 2015 at 2:15 PM The ABC’s have danced the spring dance and won!!! Way to go!! Congrats …Sara Mark J. Halliday February 27, 2015 at 5:42 PM Thanks Sara

Shadow Hamilton February 27, 2015 at 7:13 AM hi Mark your K line cost you valuable points congrats on placing 3rd hugs Mark J. Halliday February 27, 2015 at 10:34 AM I thought that was rather clever myself, being that K is the chemical symbol for potassium. I could have easily referenced something like kelp fertilizer instead.

Jan Allison February 27, 2015 at 6:35 AM Dropping back with my congrats Mark:-) Hugs Jan xxx Mark J. Halliday February 27, 2015 at 10:34 AM Thanks Jan

Nette Onclaud February 14, 2015 at 10:11 AM time to brighten the environ with a robust spring garden... a splendid abecedarian, mark; well done!.. huggs Mark J. Halliday February 21, 2015 at 10:46 AM Thanks Nette

Jan Allison February 13, 2015 at 5:55 PM oh a very clever abecedarian Mark and good luck with the new garden project:-) good luck with the contest:-) hugs jan xx Mark J. Halliday February 13, 2015 at 11:10 PM X was the trickiest one. Fortunately I had read the novel Xenocide, which was a sequel to Enders Game (recently made into a film). It was about destroying an entire species of aliens.