March 4, 2013

Last summer my daughter suggested I start a blog that gives out gardening advice.  I’m just an amateur gardener and not much of a writer, but I thought a blog would be fun. Besides sharing “advice”, I could also share some of my life experiences, or just use it as a place to brag about my wonderful kids and cute grandchildren!! I need to credit my daughter, Melissa, with the name of my blog. She gave me this cute plaque to hang on our porch.

 

As for gardening advice: my husband and I moved to the Northwest 8 ½ years ago, first for a job, second for my first grandchild, and lastly, because it was very hard to garden in Las Vegas, NV!!  We had begun eating a mostly vegan diet, heavy on vegetables and wanted the ability to grow our own. The home we found to purchase sits on an acre. Part of the back yard was already for a garden. For the first 2 or 3 years, we gardened strictly out of the ground, but have since put in garden boxes as described in Square Foot Gardening. It is much easier for me to sit on a stool and garden. My knees are getting too old to kneel!

 

We have had good years and bad years. The weather has been one of the culprits of bad years. 3 cool summers in a row did not give enough growing time for many of the veggies. Bugs are another problem! Once some of them get in your soil, you can’t get them out! We try to garden organically, so chemical kill solutions won’t work here. The big problem we had last year was accidently adding too much acid to the soil. Nothing grew in some boxes—not even weeds!! My husband has worked hard this winter to mix our soil, add great compost and fertilizer. We’re hoping for a better harvest this year!!