gardening

Graceful Gardening

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A few days ago Tate asked me how I was going to spend my morning.

He patiently listened to my laundry list of I-Want-To’s and replied,

“You really don’t get bored, huh?”

No, gardeners don’t get bored.

Back in March, this food jungle was just basic, boring backyard.

March garden virginia

By April, things were starting to take shape.

Five weeks later, May 29, we were starting to daydream about the plethora of tomatoes we will get (before they even flowered).

And now, early July, I can harvest morning and evening and I’m on cloud 9 every time I walk out and see what’s grown.

Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace.

— May Sarton

Revive!

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It’s quite appropriate to me that my first post in…a while…is about gardening and SPRING! Both of these glorious things make me feel hopeful, rejuvenated, and motivated, none of which I’ve been feeling much of this year until the wave of warmth hit central VA this week.

I got my hands dirty yesterday.

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Transplanted some strawberries, hopefully to a better spot!

 

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Harvested winter greens that have been slowly but surely growing over the last 5 months.

 

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I found a few surprises as I weeded and sowed some pea seeds.

 

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Tried to convince myself that this is the year I will actually get good at composting…

 

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And I was reminded that

  • gardening is hard!
  • gardening is awesome!
  • I am a pretty lazy gardener and need to stick to crops that are “worth it” for me to grow and that I’ve had proven success with over the last 5 years in Charlottesville.  These are kale, lettuce, collards, mustard/asian greens, cucumbers, green beans, and damnitifidontfaileverytimeimstilltrying tomatoes!

I am going to try some straw bale gardens this year, I’d love any feedback and recommendations you have from experience with this technique.