May is here, the sun is shining, the days are mild and everywhere you look, things are growing. I am happily getting back in the routine of early morning watering with my first cup of coffee, and every day I see something new germinating. Potatoes are up, radishes and carrots are emerging and my peas finally made it. It’s a smaller scale garden than I have been used to working with the last two years, but I think it will give me the opportunity to focus more intensively. It will be a good learning experience. I’m just happy to have gardening work to do again. It’s something I always know I can throw myself into and come out feeling exhausted, soothed and joyful all at the same time. I cannot even count the hours I have spent out there this Spring late into the evening mulching away my worries, tilling away my frustrations, and giving all my dreams a place to grow.
This week I made my last big push to get all the garden beds uncovered and I have to say that the soil just looks rich and luscious. I finally gave some attention to my compost pile, giving it a good turning, layering with cocoa husk and introducing red worms from a friend’s pile. It’s going to be good stuff.
All my seedling starts are coming up in the greenhouse. Aside from some spotty basil germination, all is going quite well. I’m trying some new exciting things this year like edible chrysanthemum greens and Big Doris pumpkins. I’m going to try and figure out how to maximize space to fit in storage onions and fun things like Gremlin gourds.
The raised bed of greens is just rocking. I’m having some sort of freshly picked, succulent, leafy green with every meal. I packed them in tightly so I can just graze and thin them as I go. I am thinking when these come to their end with the Summer’s heat, this is where the peppers and tomatoes will go.
While I’m not always getting as much done as I think I should (we will just not mention the chicken run and quail coop that are coming along very slowly), it’s still good to step back and look at all the things that have gotten done in those early morning and late evening hours working the soil, and enjoy all the good things I’m beginning to harvest as a result. It will all get done eventually, and in the meanwhile, the garden and I will keep on growing.
Beautiful, bountiful garden! I so enjoy reading your posts!
i'm trying chrysanthemum this year too, for the first time. i've been wondering whether you were able to have a garden at your current home, so i'm very glad to hear this! i know how therapeutic it has always been for me. peppers are new for me this year too, since i have a greenhouse to start them in (did not have that before now). this time of year is so exciting in the garden realm!
Looks great Lara! And Wow- those greens!
Working in the garden is so therapeutic. It helps me so much.