Last nights pot roast was delicious. Flavorful carrots immersed in juices, carrots that were from my garden. More then veggies just tossed into a pot. They represented exactly what we all should be doing, creating sustainable living.
Our planet is dieing. The United States, the biggest offender of global warming, seemingly doesn’t understand. But we are no longer powered by government, but by major cooperations. Wealth in our country represents happiness, but amazingly studies have shown this to be incorrect. Our grandparents and parents it seems, were happier. Families concerns with putting food on the table have statistically been proven to be happier then those now attempting to keep up with the Jones. It started slowly, catapulting into where we are now, disaster. In the throes of Global warming, allowing our planet to die.
Sustainable living begins at home. Recycling, buying less plastic, and learning to reuse.
Using up our own resources while moving on to other countries is an injustice to our entire planet.
My point? Lisa’s attempts as to the savings she will be reap in her own garden aren’t measurable on paper. Sustainable living, changing the way we all think and leading by example!
As any organic gardener can attest to, the greatest challenge is controlling pests that dine on your delectable plantings. Mine have not escaped the wrath of slugs but the damage has been contained to certain sections of my garden. Amazingly, my lettuce has escaped any damage as have my peas. My blue lake bush beans haven’t fared as well but as the season progresses it looks like they too will survive. Yay! What have I reaped so far? Tons of radishes, so many so I’ve decided not to bother with this particular crop again. Lettuce, baby carrots, bok choy, (shared some with the slugs) and rhubarb. My peas are 6 feet tall now and my Heirloom tomatoes are budding with flowers. This first time venture in square foot gardening has made me very aware of how crucial it is to pay attention to placement of plants. Those beautiful peas can create a beautiful shade garden, something of which vegetables seem to have a disdain for. So… I shall learn from my mistakes and enjoy that which has been providing me with fresh vegetables grown with love.
Mother Nature has been very accommodating, using her maternal senses to water my flourishing garden. Yay!
The recommendation of planting in square foot gardening, two to three seeds per hole is the only thing I’ve found that wasn’t deemed necessary. Buying seeds from a reputable nursery seems to be the key component to successful gardening. Purchasing in previous years from a grocery store rack, I can truly attest to the importance of where you buy your seeds.
My wonderful husband put up the copper poles and netting as my beans and peas have fully awakened. It is with great anticipation I wait for the first harvesting. Of course I might be jumping ahead of myself… the battle of bugs and critters has yet to unfold, but most certainly a war will rage. One of the prices of living in the country.
I’d like to add that my nursery tours with Lisa have been delightful. We have walked quite a few, each offering something different. As far as favorites? All rated high on the scale, but any mother will attest that a day with there daughter is magic in itself! Now I’ve got some planting to do…
Being the novice gardener has some uplifting advantages. If one fails to reap what they sow, there is always an excuse. “Oops.” Unfortunately my sense of direction is horrific, getting lost a common occurrence. Hence my problem. Planting my peas and bean on the south side, shading what is yet to be planted on the north. Transplanting now required, generating work of which wasn’t in the plan.
However, failing in one area doesn’t diminish the pride one feels as the seeds begin to germinate. Admittedly I’m on my hands and knees, beaming (everyday) as tiny little sprouts emerge. Who knows??? I may become quite prolific and take up canning. (What am I saying?)
Let me just start by saying if you want to do something right, research… research… research. With a husband whom works long hours and myself on daily screw up your life shifts, it’s tough. What happens with this combination is called skimming. DON’T do it!
Using the book Square Foot Gardening our adventure begins. This is our first truly organic garden and I wanted it done right. Lets start with our mistakes…
1. made raised box 8′ by 12′. (Much too big)
2. used treated wood for durability (Toxic)
So we begin again… ending up with two 5′ by 8′ boxes, untreated wood and a very pooped husband. Thankfully he’s a good sport. Filled with fresh organic soil and some SoundGRO for fertilizer, we’re off on the hunt for organic seeds. Yep, if I’m growing organic, I’m going all the way. Our local nursery in Olympia, Bark And Garden offered a variety but still not as accommodating as the non organic varieties. Oh well, I’m sticking to the plan. Planted yesterday and today I awoke with fingers crossed. Oh well… if I fail there’s always a garden close by to rob… “Oh, Hi Lisa.”
Today, one of those rare March days with blinding sunlight. Typically in our area, brief glimpses through filtered clouds is as good as it gets. But today brought spectacular weather for mother and daughter to stroll some of the local nurseries. Adding a lengthy array of plants to their list of wants. If it one were to decide which of us were more “needy” when it pertains to gardening, you’d better flip a coin. Watson’s and Vassey’s Nursery, the two of which we visited today, both offered a great variety for both the novice and advanced gardener. I purchasing that much desired Witch Hazel and Lisa another orchid. Leaving the nursery’s behind, we began touring parts of Tacoma, a city of which Lisa takes much pride in. As she should, it has come a long way from the 1980’s, truly transforming into a delightful urban neighborhood. If you have never visited the W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory, I highly recommend that you do. Delightfully tropical in nature while hanging heavy in the air an abundance of scents. Truly a must see! What a beautiful day to share…
Today, amongst my household duties and work I managed to prune several plants of which were battered from our Northwest winter. My husband recently had ordered five yards of composted soil, replenishing beds built on rocky ground. Most certainly one of the biggest challenges when growing anything other then that which can only survive in rock gardens. With Spring fast approaching, reclaiming flower beds that have been invaded by weeds and moles becomes my top priority. Wow, there’s a lot of work ahead of me as the seasons change. We here in the Northwest have such an array of plants that offer spectacular flowers and foliage my excitement continues to grow as winter is about to pass. Yay! If you haven’t clicked on the site of Lisa’s last post I recommend that you do! Watson’s Nursery offers a mini tour and makes me want to shout, “Hey Lisa, next time wait for me!”
Seattle’s Garden show was spectacular and inspiring. Exhibits that made every gardener yearn for more plants as the wheels began to turn. Small gardens or large, there was something for everyone to admire, even to the four year old in tow. Of course the drain spout wasn’t his mother’s or my idea of the best exhibit, but it won first place in his eyes.
Colors, textures, and proper height arrangements are always the toughest for us novice gardeners. Learning to fill spaces with the right type of plants, learning to use others as backdrops while bringing out an array of colors that compliment one another. Possibly this is the greatest challenge of all. Lisa’s upper hand due to her background in horticulture serve me well, an advantage in learning some of the do’s and don’ts. But quite honestly… some of it is plain old trial and error. Most certainly, I will be purchasing that Witch Hazel plant, the one that filled my senses with a scent… I swear is still lingering in the air.
Hi, my name is Renee… and like my daughter I too have a love for playing in the dirt. Working many years in grocery, confined inside while the outdoors always beckoned me. Retirement is looming and a new freedom, one which has eluded me for to long. Breathlessly and with great anticipation, I await it’s arrival. My lists of dos and don’t have long come from Sunset magazine, The Northwest Gardening book, and Cisco Morris. At a glance you’d think Mr Morris and I were related… not by our gardening techniques, but behaviorally. Energetic is a nice term, but truly the best word to use is hyper. So follow our story… that is if you can keep up!
This brainchild of Lisa’s, certainly will motivate me to read beyond Sunset magazine’s gardening tips. An adventure that will no doubt prove to be exciting and rewarding for both us. Moving forward into a world of organics. Learning to produce healthy, nutritous, and beautiful plants, a mother daughter team extraordinare.
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