Category Archives: Gardens

Flowers, Veggies, Trees, Dirt

Everything Else, Gardens

January Garden tasks

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IMG_4944 Is there anything sadder than a garden in January?  Thankfully, here in the South, our growing season is year-round.

It’s time for peas and carrots, cabbage and kale.  I really should have had them in the garden in the fall, but since I didn’t, it’s kinda a “now-or-never” deal.  Once the temps hit the 80s in March, I find the broccoli and kale start to bolt.

I’ve always used my google calendar to remember when to plant (and when to look for tiny sprouts) and when to harvest.  I’ve printed out my January Garden Tasks to share with you:

January Gardening Calendar

Please remember these things:  I’m not a professional, I’ve compiled several different tables to come up with what works for me, I live along the I-20 corridor in Louisiana, and you need to use common sense when planting in your area.  Our last frost date is somewhere between March 4 and 10.  If yours is later, you have a few more weeks!

Happy Gardening!

Everything Else, Gardens

My Accidental Herb Garden

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I decided I wanted an herb garden. 

So…I started one.  In pots.

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Sad, isn’t it?

Then I looked out over my big garden this week and saw this:

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How’s that for an herb garden? 

That’s last year’s oregano, mystery mint (not sure when I planted it!), last year’s parsley, the rosemary that won’t die, and cilantro that seeded itself.

A bountiful herb garden without work? 

es, please. 

Everything Else, Gardens

Our Winter Garden

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Wowzer!  Is there anything sadder than a veggie garden in winter?  Yikes!

IMG_4938The weather has been really mild the past few weeks, encouraging me to work outside a bit.  While these warmer days tempt me to plant, plant, plant, I know that it’s not quite time for most things.  I have been able to add a little compost to the beds, along with a layer of straw mulch.  I’m hoping to keep those early weeds down.  In the meantime, I do have a few cold-hardy veggies growing. 

IMG_4940What’s ready to eat:

    • broccoli
    • cabbage
    • kale
    • chard

 

What’s growing:

    • strawberries
    • sugar snaps    
    • carrots
    • onions
    • spinach
    • leaf lettuce

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What’s started in the greenhouse:

 

  • tomatoes (romas and slicers)
  • peppers
  • sunflowers

 

 

C’mon SPRING!!!!

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Being Creative, Everything Else, Gardens

Day 4 of Being Deliberate: Working Outside

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Things you should know:

1.  I don’t like to sweat.

2.  I love fresh vegetables.

3.  Working outside = working in the garden.  (Not mowing or picking up pinecones or…)

 

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I love our little garden.  Sadly, I haven’t done much with it since July.  Something about those 100 degree days just kills my gardening mojo.  We enjoyed our fresh veggies as long as they lasted and then left it neglected.  All of September, I would say I was going to work in the garden, but I just never made it…

 

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So, for today, this 4th day of October, I made the deliberate decision to work outside-no matter the weather, no matter the other things I had to do.   Part 1 of our fall garden has been planted!  Woo hoo!  (Yes, the grass needs mowing, but we’ll leave that to Adam!)  I set out transplants of swiss chard, cabbage, kale, lettuces, and broccolli.

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4 days into this ‘deliberate’ journey, I’ve already learned been reminded of one lesson:  I must prioritize my time.  If I want to work in the yard, then I have to dedicate an hour to do so.  Plus, an hour in the yard means an hour of sewing after the kids are in bed (or 40 minutes if I focus really hard!)  Being deliberate in my decisions means that I must be deliberate with my time!