Happy May, my friends!
Until last month, I’ve never heard of a potato tower. Or that tomatoes hate being planted next to cucumbers. Or carrots like tomatoes as neighbors. But thanks to a bit more time on my hands due to the coronavirus pandemic, I’m trying to keep myself busy and soak up all I can from gardening friends, old and new.
In between writing some articles I was assigned PC (Pre-Coronavirus) and handling some client work, I was getting my hands dirty, planting some seeds from a new-to-me friend from a local neighborhood gardening group. Someone in the group asked if it was too late to start growing seeds indoors (something I’d never done) and she was told not at all. That made me think — hey, why not try something new this season? So I reached out to Christine, who apparently is the seed keeper for the group, and she kindly shared half a dozen different types of plant seeds with me. Later that week, into the soil they went and I’ve been babying them ever since. Within a week, the first seedling made its appearance and I kid you not, I cried. It was the first hopeful thing I’d experienced in a long time. My babies are growing.
I decided I was going to go all-in this season. Upon my brother’s recommendation, I purchased a warming pad for my seedings. My gardening group recommended a grow light to help so I invested in one of those, too. Now, every morning, I turn both of those on and talk to my babies. I’ve learned about needing to “harden” the seedlings so I can prepare them for transplanting them outdoors. I picked up Fran Sorin’s book, Digging Deep, and participated in my first Zoom chat with fellow gardeners.
This month is my 13th year in business. Thirteen years, my friends. I’m so grateful for my family, friends, clients, editors, fellow writers, and former colleagues, who have helped me get to this milestone. Thirteen years I’ve had the pleasure to learn and grow from each and every single person I’ve met. How much my business will grow this year financially is still up in the air, but as far as I’m concerned, I’ll keep growing and learning as long as I’m able to do so. Right now, I’ve just shifted my time and energy so I can spend more time learning about my garden and what it wants and needs. Later this month, I’ll be transplanting my babies into my raised beds and hope they are hardened enough to make it so they can continue to grow and produce fruits and vegetables.
I’m going to record my progress on my Instagram account if you have any interest to follow it. I’m doing it more for myself and to see how my garden grows throughout the summer.
Do you have any good books or articles for me to read or videos watch? I’ve also been listening to a few podcasts, including The Mike Nowak Show (with Peggy Malecki), Bloom and Grow Radio, and Plantrama.
By the way, here’s a great cheat sheet list of plants that grow well together as well as a list of their garden foes, thanks to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. Or, pick up Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening.