Are you ready to get down and dirty?
Are you ready to plant a garden?
March has arrived and the sun is shining, though it isn’t exactly warm, the high winds and strong rains have subsided, and I am grateful.
Grateful for this day.
Grateful for the first signs of Spring, tiny leaf-tips climbing out of our mulch, seeking the warmth of the sun. You can actually hear the birds singing in the treetops, if you listen closely.
I was born in the summer, and perhaps that’s the reason I prefer squinting in bright sunlight to shivering in the winds of early Spring. It may be ” biological”, but who could prove it?
I come from a family of farmers. Both of my parents grew up on a farm, in fact, they were on neighboring farms, with only barbed-wire fences between them. As a child, my mother helped with canning, freezing, and preserving the crops of summer. My father learned to plan and plot the land, how to carefully prepare the soil, to mark out the rows, and to hoe and plant the crops.
Together, my parents both offered their experiences and expertise, hoping it would create a love of gardening within me. It did.
Perhaps it is “biological” after all.
Currently, I don’t live on a farm, there is no country-farmhouse on this lot, in fact, a garden is “not allowed” on our property.
So, what do you do, when you’re NOT a “farmer”?
You “farm” anyway, and in any way that you can!
In this day of elevated grocery-prices, pesticides and chemical preservatives in our food, wouldn’t it be nice to know exactly what you’re eating?
Exactly what you are feeding your children as they sit at your table?
Container gardening, and herb and kitchen gardens are space-saving, easy to maintain and a way to bring “fresh” to your table all summer long.
This type of gardening is available to anyone who can find a pot of dirt to put in a sunny spot. Whether it’s inside or out, on patios, balconies, or windowsills, your garden will grow and produce just the same.
The herb garden above, is on my South-facing deck. The pots of herbs are elevated to deter rabbits. I chose rosemary, lemon thyme, curly parsley, chives, and basil. Together, these herbs are displayed in a vintage laundry cart, which makes watering easy.
Tips for container gardens/ herbs, vegetables or flowers:
1.Choose your container with depth for roots to grow and drain, unplug the drainage hole on the bottom of the pot, use a small pan, dish or plastic drainage tray to protect the surface of your deck, rugs, windowsills, etc.
2.Plant together plants with the same sun/shade requirements. Place them accordingly either in the sun or shade.
3. With a generous base of topsoil in my container, I space the new plants (still in their containers) where I want them, with the tallest in the middle, lower plants surrounding it.
4. Place your new plants carefully in the topsoil, cover roots with more soil and tap upright and into place. Continue with the rest of the plants, covering the roots and lightly tapping into place, then I sparingly sprinkle a slow-release fertilizer over the entire top of the soil, I use Weed and Seed granular. Now, cover your surface between the plants with mulch or Spanish moss, then water all plants.
5. Remember, container pots do not have the space for very deep roots, so water when the soil is dry to the touch. Very hot summer days will dry your soil quickly, and you may have to water daily, just until the soil is moist.
6. I like to water in the early morning, to give the plants a good drink before the sun evaporates the water. The covering of moss or mulch also helps to keep the soil moist for the plants.
7. In addition to regular watering, I use Miracle Grow liquid once a month to fertilize, all during the growing season.
8. Finally, don’t let herbs go to seed. Prune off the seed. This will keep your plants full and thick, not taller.
It’s a long list, isn’t it?
Learning is a continual process, but these steps will get you started.
I hope you consider using container gardening in the space you have available. If you try this, please let me know.
If you have a favorite way of keeping your herbs and plants healthy, please share, would love to hear from you!
Go get dirty!
xx,
