Christmas has come and gone and, daydreaming aside, it's time. For many of us, we're already conjuring up garden plans in our heads if not on paper.
Another sign it's time to get serious is the sheer number of garden, seed and poultry catalogs we've been getting in the mail. Somehow word has gotten out that we have a garden. And chickens.
Usually our annual garden meeting would be held soon, but this year we're putting it off a little bit. We're not sure what our garden will look like this summer. Jamey graduates in May (can you believe it's been four years already?!) and he has some choices to make. One choice would lead to a very hectic schedule for him (and therefore me) and the other would not. We won't know what path he'll chose until March. As much as it pains me, I know it's best to wait because depending on what happens our garden could look very different next year. Thankfully, we would only need one year of drastic change. Have I confused you completely? I'm kind of confused.
If you DO know what kind of garden you want, I want to remind you of a resource we created last year that might prove to be helpful to you. It's our {Humble} Vegetable Gardening 101 Tutorial and it includes tips on planning your garden, a planting guide (what to plant when), how to make newspaper starter pots, etc.
We're trying to get things in the ground before our Disneyland trip in mid-Feb. We're on our own weird growing schedule down here in AZ! The fact that how your garden looks depends on your husband's schedule must mean he helps you a lot... lucky. My hubby is interested in lots of things, but gardening is not one of them. It's up to me and my 6 little helpers!
ReplyDeleteI love the little links to how to do things. I especially love the tutorial on how to make the pots...so simple, yet one of those things that you need a little push to know what to do! Great little sidebar link to "how to...."
ReplyDeleteMy garden plot this year is very small, so I'm still trying to figure out how to get the most out of it, as well as finding some containers. I won't know how it will look for quite a while.
ReplyDeleteWow. Guess I'd better start thinking about this . . . We moved to a new house, and I am not even really sure what area of the yard has enough sun to grow what I want to grow! I have an idea, but haven't really taken the time to make sure yet. I think I'll start out small this year and see what happens - always time to expand in the years to come!
ReplyDeleteDon't tell anyone but I never plan my garden, besides ordering any seeds I might need, until all the snow is gone and I can stand out there and gaze upon the soil. I have tried so many times to put it all on paper and I just can't seem to do it. My wife and I are definitely "fly by the seat of our pants" gardeners when it comes to planning. Your garden tutorials are wonderful and I can't wait to here what you will be doing with this years garden be it large or be it small.:) How exciting for your husband to be so very close to graduating...really neat.
ReplyDeleteI'm still gathering the needed seeds... I start planting on St Patrick's Days... green peas of course... so I still have a little time :)
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking about looking ahead to gardening time yesterday. I pulled my last jar of canned tomatoes off the shelf and thought (again) that this year I need to really, seriously plant, grow, and can more tomatoes, sauce, and salsa.
ReplyDeleteAnd, I'm even thinking about adding a couple new things to my garden this year. Spinach is one of them.
Anyway, I'll be thinking of you guys and praying for you as you look ahead to a time of decision making for your family.
I don't do extensive garden plans. I just order seeds and get as many of them in the ground as possible! I will be starting some inside in the next month or so. Which reminds me, I better clean up the "table" (it's just a board on cement blocks) that is under the grow light! There is stuff everywhere. It's a room in the basement we don't use for anything but starting plants and I never cleaned up from last winter. Oops :)
ReplyDeleteWe were in the same place last year this time - thinking we were going to move a build a smaller house closer to town. But I decided to plow ahead (no pun intended) and plant my garden. I'm so glad I did because we ended up staying. I figured if we moved, we'd just bless the next family. However, I did wait to order bees for my hive and I now wish I had gone ahead. I had hesitated because I thought they wouldn't move well, but later I found out that you can move them. I lost a whole year of beekeeping as a result. Not the end of the world, but I'm anxious to get started. My bees are scheduled to arrive April 19th - I can hardly wait!! If you go ahead and start seeds indoors on schedule, you can always have a small plant sale and get rid of the ones you can't use in the event that your plans change.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, an early congratulations to your husband on graduating - he's almost across the finish line! Yeah!!
I feel the same way. I keep waiting for more snow to try and enjoy winter a little more,but no snow yet...that leaves me day dreaming of garden days, warm weather, bare feet, open windows and plain ol' not having to layer kids to get out the door.
ReplyDeletePerfect timing for me!!! I started seeds last weekend and ran out of pots. Yay! I'll be making newspaper pots.
ReplyDeleteMy seed catalogs keep mocking me as I walk past! I did start a list though, so that counts, right?
ReplyDeleteOH, me too...ME TOO! I'm so ready for spring. I'm actually a rather compulsive garden planner...it's my treatment for the winter blahs, so to speak...so I've been planning my garden for a couple of weeks already. I've got a big expansion in the works this year and I've got it all drawn out on paper, and the seeds I want all cataloged in an Excel spreadsheet. Now I just have to narrow the choices down enough to fit in the proposed space, get the seeds ordered, and restrain myself from starting tomatoes too soon again. :-) Good luck with your waiting, and congrats on hubby's upcoming graduation!
ReplyDeleteI cannot wait for warmer weather either! I love using newspapers for seedling pots.
ReplyDeleteThis post makes me tear up a little. Last year I used your blog as a vital resource to our first big garden. It was fabulous and produced so much bounty that we shared with family and friends. However we moved and will not be able to have a garden at all this year. We now live in the city seven flights up. I might just have to set out a tomato pot in the back ally though.
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