You have to leave some space between plants anyway, so what I generally do is place some inexpensive pavers here and there to walk on--they also make an impermeable "mulch" around veggies that don't cast much shade. Right now it's probably still cool enough for you to be planting peas, radishes, lettuce, spinach, and cabbages/brussels sprouts/broccoli/cauliflower, none of which enjoy hot weather. The peas and radishes will be gone first, and eventually the spinach and lettuce will also give up to the summer heat, so do your spacing with that in mind. Swiss chard and beets can also be planted now, but will last longer...chard will take some frost so is a good veggie to plant if you like it. Onion starts and green onions (from little bulbs) can also be planted early. For your space allotment, you would be better with peas (and later, green beans, if not tomatoes) as climbers on tripods or netting on the side of your bed away from the sun so they don't shade other things. You could plant your tomatoes (or green beans) where the peas were, as they should not be planted until comfortably after your last frost date, but a few weeks later will still get you tomatoes. You could plant zucchini where the lettuce and radishes were. Etc. If you plant peppers, which generally have a similar growth habit to tomatoes, but a bit smaller, plant then about the same time as tomatoes--when it is consistently warm with no possibility of a frost. Plan to plant any vining crops like cucumbers, winter squash, zucchini, etc. on the edge of your bed which faces the sun the longest. The sun will draw them away from the bed so that they won't compete as much with whatever else you have planted. They are the most susceptible to cold, and are usually planted some time after tomatoes and peppers. Bush zucchini can also get quite large and cast a lot of shade. Someone else will have to advise you about carrots, celery, potatoes...I am not experienced with those. If you like artichokes, though, you should try them. You will have faster results if you purchase pregrown cabage family, tomatoes, and artichokes, but it's a waste to spend money for starts of lettuce, spinach, and most other vegetables...most of the vine ones do fine direct seeded asa the weather is consistently warm, which is when tomatoes also do best...but it does stretch the growing season to use plants for those with the longest times to maturity. Tomatoes will survive before the weather is consistently warm as long as there are no frosts, but not do as well as if you had waited. Ones planted at the optimal time will usually get just as large as those planted earlier, and be more productive. If you plant full sized tomato plants, tomato cages are advisable, and they would also be helpful to pepper plants and Brussels sprouts. Obviously, you will not be able to plant all of these, but will have to choose which you like the best and go from there. Tomatoes are usually a priority for most, and three or four well grown plants properly spaced can yield a good quantity of tomatoes. If you like hot peppers, the Thai ones make a small plant and produce quite a few little red peppers toward the end of the summer. Brussels sprouts take up quite a bit of room, but can be picked over a period of time, unlike cabbage. Some varieties of broccoli are especially good at producing side shoots when the main head has been cut off. You can get quite a few green onions with one short row, if you like them. Peas and green beans, if kept picked when ready, will keep producing (peas only until it gets hot). Ditto with zucchini and cucumbers. The winter squashes are usually not ready until late summer, but if you pick some green for summer use it will sometimes stimlate more to be developed. The vegetables that don't do well in heat either die (peas) or start producing seed (lettuce, spinach, broccoli, etc.) In some countries, radish seed pods are pickled, I have noticed. Also, I think radish leaves make a tasty vegetable, either steamed or stir fried. So do beet greens.

The Lasagna or chicken/rabbit manure will work on all annuals(seeds),some perennial also. Black plastic to stop sunlight & water or clear plastic if it is hot in your area. The clear plastic will stop water & trap heat to dry & kill most plants. If you have Coastal Bahia grass,wild garlic (Allium vineale) Or wild dew berry (Rubus eubtus). Then move away & never look back. I have been fighting these weeds for 5 years & I have gained 480 square feet of beds, but can not make new beds for fighting the 3, which are tiring to invade my beds. My brother has tired to kill them in his garden with round-up. the grass & garlic come back from the root& the dewberries do not die at all. The only way you can tell the round-up was applied to dew berries is the new growth has misshaped leaves. Why don't I grow the dewberries for fruit? They have small fruit & bear small amounts, besides I have blackberries. I have tired covering the weeds with burlap bags & they come though anything less the 4 bags & grow in any crack they find. Okay, I am not moving so maybe I should not tell you to. Good Lucky- P.S. if you win the war Let us know what you did, Please.

Jodi, Some Gordons are huge dogs, well over 100 lbs even. THose dogs were bred just for showing, and they also have a lot of wavy hair to groom. I looked for 9 years to find another like the Gordon we had bought in England 18 yrs ago. She was 60 lbs and that was quite my limit in size...could not find anyone breeding down to the old hunting standard for the GOrdons. Then I found Springset Gordons and was utterly enchanted! They breed to a 1932 standard. Here is what I wanted... A nice medium size dog , even smaller then our Bracken was, but with the smarts and nice personality ...the sparkling eyes that we loved! THese are beautiful dogs but lack the heavy wavy hair of the show dog...I do not have time for that playing 'beauty parlor' daily! Josie came from some of the smaller parents that they breed at Springset, and should weigh in at around 45-50 lbs when grown. Even better, she seems to have a natural kindness and enjoyment of life along with superior "dog smarts". I think she will be exactly what I was looking for and well worth a 9 yr wait. I am already thinking...when our little old beagle dies, ...well, maybe should start saving for a 2nd Springset Gordon! I do not want to get into breeding...I think Springset is doing that just fine! But I imagine you understand...if one dog is wonderful, why not two wonderful dogs to keep each other company, LOL. Our little beagle "under 13 inch", Lottie(Princess of Quite a Lot), is grieving terribly for her pal who died 2 weeks ago. All of her first 10 years she looked like a puppy. SUddenly her face fur is turning white and she acts like an old dog. So sad...I wish I could make her understand that Corie is better off then a long, slow, immune compromised death would have been! I remember him with fondness and always will but I do not grieve for him....just remember his lovely chocolate curls and his melting brown eyes, and that "Whuff" of contentment as he settled down at my feet. HE was always "my" dog. I think Josie is "Our Dog". I think DH fell in love with her too on our long trip home. Especially because I paid for her myself, LOL. Have fun weeding! I got 2/3 of my potted dahlias into the ground yesterday. Today I have to start the harder part, cleaning up a bed along the fenceline that has not ever been under the good control it should have been (This garden is starting its 4th year). IT, however, is where I Have put the dahias that I especially love, the ones I grow mostly for myself. Some sre still buried under weeds and grass, and I Imagine I lost a few over the winter. THis bed starts with a 30" bank below it and the field mice seem to like to tunnel in there for the winter. THis is going to be much harder work, and using muscles I AM jsut beginning to. I do not take my muscle relaxer pills until I HAve taken the flowers to the stand, just in case they affect my driving, but Now I am home until evening and took one so I will be able to work. My body really is ready to return to work but I get into tendonitis as I get started. THe meds really help that a lot and I figure stretching them carefully will only help if I do not over do it. I did realize that I Can not bend over with locked knees to work like I used to...trying to learn to go into a semi-crouch. IT worked yesterday. I just can not put off gardening any longer! THe stress factor is worse then the muscle pain! Well, we gotta get after those weeds...Lets go, girl!

If you have the time I would suggest that you lightly till it and rake out as much of the weeds and roots as possible. The more you get out now the less you will have to deal with later. If you just kill them at the surface the roots are still there. Take out the roots and then cover when you transplant. Just my suggestion.