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Let's Talk about Gardens

Posted by Rosemary, Volunteer Mentor @rosemarya, Mar 31, 2020

Spring is on it's way and many of us are looking forward to some sunshine and warmer weather and being outdoors...and gardens!
Perhaps you look forward to digging in the fresh spring time soil as you prepare for a summer garden? Do you plant flowers? Do you plant vegetables?
Do you garden for enjoyment? Do you garden for health benefits? What do you want to share about your garden?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Just Want to Talk Support Group.

Mentor
Jim, Volunteer Mentor | @jimhd | Aug 1, 2020
In reply to @sueinmn "@oxbeaux First, I am sorry for the loss of your spouse - you are right, digging..." + (show)
@sueinmn

@oxbeaux First, I am sorry for the loss of your spouse - you are right, digging in the dirt and bringing new life can indeed be therapeutic. I am glad you found a place to do this.
Second, just reading your description makes me TIRED - wow! But think of the lovely food you all have to bring you through this next winter - and it will bring you memories of the lovely summer you spent outdoors and with family.
Let us know how your next garden adventure progresses as you return to Phoenix when the weather cools.

@jimhd We have been harvesting cucumbers, tomatoes and fresh basil for several weeks in Minnesota from our tiny "plot" - 7 straw bales along the sunny side of our garage. We get ripe veggies weeks before those in the ground are ready, due to the warmth of the decomposing bales and the intense sun reflecting off the siding.

My 4 year old grandson loves to pick & eat cherry tomatoes right from the vine, and his taste buds and patience have reached the point this year where he understands "redder is better" and patiently checks for the ripest 3 each time he is given permission to pick (we have to ration him or he eats them until he has a bellyache.) Our resident foster guinea pig (our daughter does rescue & is maxed out on pigs) waits for 4pm every day when I come in from the garden with his sprigs of fresh basil. If I forget, he stands at the kitchen door and hollers at me!
I'm trying for a second row of bales next years so I can plant potatoes in the decomposing ones from this year...but that means building a new "corral" to contain them, extending irrigation (again) and infringing on the clover lawn that the bees love so much. I am not sure I have that much energy...
Happy gardening everyone.
Sue

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Hi, Sue @sueinm We ate our first cucumber yesterday, and there are lots of green tomatoes. The cucumber was a surprise as I hadn't noticed it. I'm fighting my annual mole/gopher battle, without a lot of success. My dog catches way more than I do. I have the perennial/vegetable garden fenced to keep the deer and our dogs out. Maybe I should let Sadie in to hunt. The main reason I don't want the dogs in is that I keep a compost pile in there and the dogs eat all the table scraps, which defeats the purpose and makes them fat. I guess I could fence off just the compost.

Jim

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lioness | @lioness | Aug 1, 2020

@jimhd Maybe you should get a cat they are pretty good at finding things like gophers moles and such

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Mentor
Jim, Volunteer Mentor | @jimhd | Aug 3, 2020
In reply to @lioness "@jimhd Maybe you should get a cat they are pretty good at finding things like gophers..." + (show)
@lioness

@jimhd Maybe you should get a cat they are pretty good at finding things like gophers moles and such

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@lioness I think we have a couple. We don't see much of them, but they like the bed I made for Sadie in the barn. All I see is a flash when I open the barn door.

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fredm | @fredm | Aug 3, 2020

Chemo and radiation robbed us of our garden last year so we're enjoying every bit of it this year, even the hard work. I admit that I have less strength and a lot of energy for it but I give it my best and take things slowly. My wife reminds me that there is nothing wrong with baby steps. We've been enjoying the flower gardens and we're eating lots of fresh vegetables already this year. After every hour we spend working the gardens this summer we're reminded of all the friends who came to weed and water things while we were gone.

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fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | Aug 3, 2020

@fredm, So glad you are enjoying the bounty from your garden this year! I'm all in favor of baby steps, too and find myself taking more "timeouts" than in years past. I want to blame it on the long bouts of 100+ temps but keeping flowers and veggies alive this year is almost a full time job. I resorted to placing upside down grocery sacks over some during the hottest parts of the day but have lost many perennials and some veggies are just stunted and not producing as usual. It makes harvesting what does produce more of a pleasure. Nothing beats fresh from our own gardens, right?

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Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Aug 3, 2020
In reply to @fredm "Chemo and radiation robbed us of our garden last year so we're enjoying every bit of..." + (show)
@fredm

Chemo and radiation robbed us of our garden last year so we're enjoying every bit of it this year, even the hard work. I admit that I have less strength and a lot of energy for it but I give it my best and take things slowly. My wife reminds me that there is nothing wrong with baby steps. We've been enjoying the flower gardens and we're eating lots of fresh vegetables already this year. After every hour we spend working the gardens this summer we're reminded of all the friends who came to weed and water things while we were gone.

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@fredm Welcome to Mayo Connect, and thank you for posting! I sure do agree that gardens can take a lot of work, and baby steps are just fine. When you look back over a week and see the work accomplished, it's gotta make you feel good, right? How wonderful to be reminded of the friends who helped you out, as you take trowels and hoses to the soil. Does your bounty have enough to share with them as a "thanks"?
Ginger

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Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Aug 4, 2020
In reply to @fredm "Chemo and radiation robbed us of our garden last year so we're enjoying every bit of..." + (show)
@fredm

Chemo and radiation robbed us of our garden last year so we're enjoying every bit of it this year, even the hard work. I admit that I have less strength and a lot of energy for it but I give it my best and take things slowly. My wife reminds me that there is nothing wrong with baby steps. We've been enjoying the flower gardens and we're eating lots of fresh vegetables already this year. After every hour we spend working the gardens this summer we're reminded of all the friends who came to weed and water things while we were gone.

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@fredm Welcome to Mayo Connect. I understand perfectly about being robbed of one's garden. I spent one summer recuperating from 3 hip revision surgeries while watching others tend my garden, and 2 more with a horrid bout of pneumonia and the aftermath, taking tiny baby steps to tend it with help. I am doing much better this year, but work more slowly & have turned the heaviest work over to my 20 year old neighbor, who is grateful for the infusion of cash for her college fund. Take time to sit and enjoy!
Sue

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fredm | @fredm | Aug 4, 2020
In reply to @gingerw "@fredm Welcome to Mayo Connect, and thank you for posting! I sure do agree that gardens..." + (show)
@gingerw

@fredm Welcome to Mayo Connect, and thank you for posting! I sure do agree that gardens can take a lot of work, and baby steps are just fine. When you look back over a week and see the work accomplished, it's gotta make you feel good, right? How wonderful to be reminded of the friends who helped you out, as you take trowels and hoses to the soil. Does your bounty have enough to share with them as a "thanks"?
Ginger

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Yes gifting produce from our gardens is a great way to thank people for their help.

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Mentor
Jim, Volunteer Mentor | @jimhd | Aug 5, 2020

Some daylillies around my yard.

Jim
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fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | Feb 7, 2021

Early February and I'm so happy to report that my forsythias are full of blooms a bit earlier than usual and my daffodils have the bulbs forming! Whoo Hoo! another week and there will be more blooms...spring is definitely on the way and none too soon for us garden lovers!!

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