green heart

back to the garden

I realized that I’d like to try and pickle some onions. Which reminded me that I want to actually grow those onions myself. I realized then, it was time to plant this year’s veggie garden.

There is something about Spring that is giving me amnesia. Not dissimilar to what I experienced 17 years ago when I realized I wanted another baby and the pain of labor, which I swore to never experience again, suddenly seemed not that bad.

Last year I swore I would never garden again. Not ever. I was heartbroken because varmints ate all our tomatoes despite my hardest efforts to stop them (no poison, though. Just a lot of complex wiring. I don’t like to kill.) I had grown about 20 tomato plants from seed, and one by one they were destroyed. Eventually towards the end of the season we invested in one very high raised bed that varmints can’t climb. It was big enough for just two tomato plants. With barely enough time to get in another mini crop, I planted them and over-fertilized with horse manure that wasn’t composted enough. Burned the hell out of my poor plants. Ugh. Exhaustion. Tears.

But like I said, it’s a new year and a fresh start. We make our mistakes and learn our lessons. My passion for health and nature fuel me. It’s what paves the way for all that I do. When it comes to growing food, some years are better than others (my most bountiful year so far is pictured above. ) Last year - well darn it, I tried too hard and learned my lessons. Growing from seed is way too time consuming for me at this exceptionally busy stage in life. And this year I’m buying bagged compost! (Yes, we compost but I’m not using it this season, letting it really COOK as I add to it and build a nice amount.)

This year is about less overkill and more “it shouldn’t be that hard” attitude. Less force and more trust. So far, it’s going pretty well. Below is a photo of my first finished garden box this season. About 5 more to go. And see all that grass? We pulled it all out and replaced it once again with pathway bark yesterday. THIS time, with a barrier underneath so grass won’t grow again! See? Smarter. bit by bit.

My fingernails are dirty. Brad’s back is sore. It’s Springtime!

I’ll keep you posted, and what about you? Are you doing veggies this year?