So as I’m writing this, Roger and I are driving over the Grapevine in So. California with snow coming at us sideways.
Naturally, my attention turns to gardening…
Actually, now is a great time to start planning and thinking about a garden. This is prime planting season for many of us (when it’s not snowing…) Let’s seize the opportunity together and eat healthier. It is more rewarding to eat the salad you grew yourself than from your favorite café. (Or let’s e honest – drive-thru. Where you intend to get a salad, but a salad doesn’t come with fries, so…)
Thanks to the internet there is loads of help for all of us. Mother Earth News is a great place to start o matter where you live in the US.
Here you will select the region you live in to find out what to plant and when. Everything has a particular time and season that it will produce great fruit.
This reminds me of one of my favorite Bible passages Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
A Time for Everything
1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
There is just something so special about eating with the seasons. So check out their growing guide and start your planning (and dreaming…) Find out what works in your area, compare that to what your family loves, and go from there.
We always do a variety of tomatoes, peppers, green onions, and a ton of herbs. We call it our salsa garden (which can also be called a bruchetta garden,) and we eat from it for months.
Also, seed packets you purchase usually have the right time to plant for your region. You can also just start with buds you pick up from your local gardening center or health food store. The process is already started for you and you just need to transplant to its permanent home. It will take a few steps out of the process for you.
So are you a gardener? A wanna be gardener? How many are going to start this year for the first time? If you are an experienced gardener, tell me your advice, tips and tricks and what you plan to grow. Do what gardeners do – share your wisdom. Over the next several weeks, I will be sharing out gardening plans,container gardening tips, and watering plans.
We ate a yummy salad the other night with the 2 lettuce varieties from our garden! I was so proud! I have 5 cabbages that are almost ready plus Swiss chard that is ready to saute. I tried a few other vegetables but they didn’t work out but the ones that flourish are lovely tasting. I need to get tomatoes planted ASAP. It is totally worth it to be a little farmer! Our friends and family gain from our work, too. I’ll let you know what I plant next. A very rewarding experience! It helps that I live inland San Diego County.
I had been living in a very small apartment where landscaping was handled by “professionals” for over three years, BUT… I moved to a mobile home two months ago and realized a few weeks ago that I have enough room for a wonderful salsa and herb garden in the plot in front of my home, and probably enough froom to put in some container gardens around my shed in back. I grew up in northern CA where my mother and grandfather had enormous gardens every year and I miss gardening tremendously! I’m looking forward so much to having room for a small plot to play in and to gardening with my 8-year-old daughter- passing down the tradition! Of course, we had SNOW just last weekend- the only snow of the season- but Spring is coming soon!
Joanna Strong-Branson
Thomas Kinkade, Dead at age 54: Natural causes
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/04/artist-thomas-kinkade-died-sudden-of-natural-causes-family-says.html
Congratulations in a new life, Joanna! Much happiness to you all!
We do garden and the one thing (among many) that we have learned is to focus on quality not quanity. We seem to always overplant. This year, we will find someone else who is putting in a garden and share seeds. I think square foot gardening is awesome so now I am trying to talk DH into this. I think it is the way to go so hope to be giving it a try this year.
Right now, here in the midwest, we are getting ready to plant some cooler crops i.e. lettuces, radishes, and spinach. We love salads and it does not take too long for the lettuces and spinach to be ready.
I am so ready to play in the dirt!
Marilyn