LOOSELY FIRM THE EDGES OF SEEDFLATS

(Music: LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS, Lennon-McCartney) (info./disclaimers [0]) (glossary [0]) (index [0]) (gardening guide [0])

Picture yourself with a pile of good compost
A wheelbarrow, shovel, and fine sifting screen
A stack of newspapers, 3-inch-high wooden boxes
With bottom slots to let them drain

A jar full of seeds you collected last year
Some others you bought at the store
Some you mail-ordered and some that you found on the floor

Loosely firm the edges of seedflats
Loosely firm the edges of seedflats
Loosely firm the edges of seedflats -- aah

Picture yourself finely sifting that compost
Into the wheelbarrow until it is full
Line all the boxes with two sheets of newspaper
So you won't lose any soil

Maybe add lime or kelp meal or rock dust
To the mixture you've made in the barrow
Fill all those seedflats with compost and you're almost done

Then loosely firm the edges of seedflats (the soil around the edges)*
Loosely firm the edges of seedflats (lightly press it down)*
Loosely firm the edges of seedflats (this keeps your flat together)* -- aah

After pressing the edges you'll make shallow furrows
Place your seeds in them, then cover again
Water them gently, whenever they dry out
'Til you're ready to do it again

Loosely firm the edges of seedflats
Loosely firm the edges of seedflats
Loosely firm the edges of seedflats -- aah

Loosely firm the edges of seedflats
Loosely firm the edges of seedflats (aah-ooo)
Loosely firm the edges of seedflats

Comments: *The Beetless apparently intended to reduce the ambiguity of the refrain by adding these three "parenthetical background comments," a divergence from the Beatles' original.
Any newspaper not containing heavy metals or covered with paint or other toxic materials should be safe to use as a bottom liner in flats. This "instructional" song was inspired by a gardening cartoon Jam's daughter brought home from school one day.