My big garden plans for 2021 demand the right supplies and equipment to meet the challenge. It’s been a month of trial and error, but I think I’ve found the right tools for the job. Check out my new gear and see how it’s performing!
Garden Diary 2021
For this year’s 2021 garden, I’ve decided to GO BIG! I’m attempting to grow a full-blown kitchen garden and landscape almost my entire suburban yard – by seed! I’m growing hundreds of vegetables, fruits, flowers and herbs in a limited grow space, and will be building DIY containers, trellises and garden furniture all season long. Can I pull it off?
Garden Diary 2020 – November 1-December 31
The summer harvest has ended and the fall clean-up has begun. The bounty of fallen leaves and dead foliage will provide rich compost for next year. Winter is a welcome downtime to plan for the gardening season ahead. Seed catalogs are arriving and the choices seem overwhelming. It will take some discipline to narrow down the list for planting next season. DIY garden projects will occupy the cold months so that they will be ready for planting season. It may be quiet in the garden, but inside, there is no time to rest.
Garden Diary 2020 – October 1-31
Though the summer garden is winding down, there is still plenty to harvest. Tomatoes continue to ripen on the heirlooms and succession planted determinates. The second wave of bean crops were ready, and the hot peppers hit their peak. Summer herbs are still fresh for picking, while cilantro and parsley are slowly making their return. New fall plantings were late, but worth the experiment. Preparing for winter is a joy in the cool weather. There is much work to be done.
Garden Diary 2020 – September 1-30
We made an unexpected trip back to Missouri this month to say goodbye to a dear, sweet gardener – my mother-in-law. She represented an era gone by of rural farming during the Great Depression. While away, the garden flourished without me. Fall plantings began to emerge, while some summer crops and flowers found new life once the temperature cooled, bringing my heirloom tomatoes to peak production. Succession planted veggies continue to fill our baskets. I can’t believe how quickly the season went!
Garden Diary 2020 – August 1-31
Leaving the garden unattended for two weeks while visiting family and friends out of town presented some challenges and opportunities. Pests and diseases left unchecked destroyed some plants, while unharvested crops opened up more seed saving opportunities. Steady rainfall kept the garden well-watered, and overall the garden flourished without me! It was a testament to the power of nature.
Garden Diary 2020 – July 16-31
Our tomato plants are overflowing their cages and producing a bountiful harvest. Sharing it with family and friends elevates the joy. The onset of summer diseases and pests presented challenges, but they did not outpace the beautiful fruits that came off our vines. While we worked to rid the garden of the destructive insects, we welcomed another in the name of conservation – the monarch butterfly. A second planting of summer veggies and a little DIY kept us busy throughout the month. Never did hard work feel so rewarding!
Garden Diary 2020 – July 1-15
Summer crops are filling our plates! Tomatoes are finally ripening, cucumbers come almost daily, beans are coming in batches, and fresh herbs flavor our meals. Flowers are bright and colorful, and the garden is full and lush. The season has been a joy. Our backyard makeover and DIY projects are still in the works. It feels good to be industrious again!
Garden Diary 2020 – June 16-30
The summer harvest has begun! Veggies and herbs sown from seed in the springtime are finally coming to fruition. We’ve had mostly successes and some failures. There’s always room to learn. Brightly colored summer flowers are providing a spectacular backdrop. While the kitchen garden thrives on its own, we’ve been busy implementing more organic gardening practices to improve the health of our soil. Our long-term plans to remodel the backyard shade garden are underway, which involved two massive loads of free arborist wood chips. We’re getting better at learning how to let nature take care of itself.
Garden Diary 2020 – May 1-15
Spring planting is complete…for now! But the wacky weather presented some unexpected challenges that may force me to replant. Heavy wind and rain and a Mother’s Day weekend frost required some quick, DIY solutions to protect the tender seedlings. Did my excessive “hardening off” save them?