Wow, winter is definitely here. The holidays are over and here in Wyoming the winter blues are about to set in. What are the winter blues? They are a time every year when I and many others feel sad, depressed, and anxious that Spring will never come. I think it all stems from our lack of sunshine. I know that every plant needs sunshine or it will become white, sad, and maybe just a little depressed. The same is true for a gardener’s heart and soul. What’s that song? “Just Shine a little ... on this heart of mine..” Hmm, it is just not coming to me.
Anyway, I have found the best and truest way to bring joy to my heart during the coldest and darkest time of year and that is to plan my garden. That could be why all my seed catalogs seem to arrive in January and February, when I truly need to see something green. Do you feel this way? If you do, I want to tell you, you are not alone. I have lived in Wyoming and the northern hemisphere all my life. The winter blues are a real thing that effect many people. Let’s get to the best cure I have found and that is to dream of green. But first here is the story of my first garden. Enjoy!
My first garden when we moved to the homestead was a 2x4 flower garden that ran up the path from our parking area to the trailer house. We didn't have much of a budget ($0), so it was full of free plants from the neighbors. Our first fall, one of my neighbors thankfully happened to be dividing some of her perennials. I remember how thankful I was when she called to share part of her hard work. So with a few cardboard boxes and a shovel, I arrived at her home full of anticipation and scared to death. Here was a lady who knew how to garden and I was a 20 something who only helped my mother in the garden as a child. She was so kind. She patiently answered my many questions (there were many) and gave me a tour of her flower and vegetables garden. Anyone could see that these gardens had taken many years to establish. I came home with tulips and iris bulbs, Russian sage, chives, a pink peony, and a white climbing rose. The names of these flowers were forgotten many years before. They had been planted 20 years before I got my first cuttings. Sadly I lost most of these plants to my lack of experience and to the fact that the next spring I was too busy caring for our first son.
Seeds and More Blog Series
Over the years my planning has gone from just winging it with cheap seeds from the grocery store, to purchasing all my seedlings from the nursery, to now where I start most of my seeds myself in our basement. I am going to confess to you I have failed many times and I will probably fail in the future.
Last year I realized that planning a garden was not just dreaming about what I wanted to eat and grow but was actually another job. Homesteaders have many jobs and this needed to be treated like one. This job needed a plan for everything from seed starting dates, transplanting dates, totals of seed needed to feed a family of 5, a harvesting and composting schedule. I would actually need to think ahead. I have always been one who just flies by the seat of her pants and what will be, will be. Is that you too?
After having 3 kids and scheduling for five people and their activities and getting supper on the table every night, with out losing my mind. I must have a written down plan. Not one just in my head but everything wrote out so my brain can remember if I brushed my hair today or not. It may seem like a lot of extra work but last year the garden was not a extra burden but a joy that ran like a well greased machine. I hope to bring you along as I plan my 2020 garden in my blog post series Seeds and More Seeds. This series will teach you how to take your garden plan to the next level. I will be sharing all my hacks, tricks, and tips. Join me! Don't miss out on the journey!
Remember don't let the world get you down. Pray, Just Plant!
Seeds and More Seeds Blog Series
Comments