Lemmie’s Garden
This is the first of a series of posts about your garden. If you would like to show your garden, please email me at thegardener@maximmfg.com.
I visited Lemmie’s Garden this week, and WOW. There is not a weed in sight, neither is there a jug of weed killer. 
I wish my garden looked like this. This pristine garden is a result of a no-laziness policy and a secret weapon. I’ll get to that later.
Lemmie’s tiller is a well used, ten year old Maxim RMT50B, but that isn’t the secret weapon, but it does help. He likes this tiller because it keeps going year after year without expensive repairs and it stands up to our heavy clay soil. The tines are self sharpening, so it is low maintenance.
Lemmie has butter beans, peas, green beans, tomatoes, squash, and peppers – enough for a small army or at least an extended family – in super straight rows that would certainly impress any general. The squash and banana pepper are producing already, and there are green tomatoes for frying on the vines, but the beans are just blooming and the peas still have a way to go.
He supports his tomatoes with rebar rods driven into the ground far enough to withstand wind and drenching rains. His beans are stuck with what we call bean poles, but they are saplings cut at just the perfect size for climbing beans. These poles are also driven into the ground without any other support. The effect is a wonderfully neat garden.
I learned something when I was there (something other than that I need to spend more time getting acquainted with my hoe). When I first walked up I saw several water bottles hanging on bean poles and tomato supports. I asked about them because, honestly, they seemed a bit out of place in Lemmie’s immaculate garden spot. Each of these bottles had paper towel wet with perfume. The scent keeps marauding deer away. All right, this is a secret weapon, but not the one I alluded to earlier.
Lemmie’s secret weapon is one of Maxim’s discontinued products, an all time favorite of row gardeners who plant somewhat large gardens, The Plow Hoss. He can run his Plow Hoss right next to the plants with a sweep (You can get this accessory for the Till n’ Plow, MT, Special, or GM) without harming the roots. He can use the Plow Hoss even when it is somewhat dry because it only turns the top, weed layer. The results are fantastic!!
Maxim’s considering dusting off The Plow Hoss for next year. I think I’ll be first in line because I’d like fewer weeds with less work.
