January is a dangerous time.
I found this writing in my little note book. I wrote this some time in January 2020, about a year ago.
I was a lazy gardener in a sense that I always deferred to Mother nature to take care of matters. Since we are fortunate to live in an area where rain is not an issue most of the growing season (though it rains sometimes too much in Spring and we could have a dry spell in late Summer), I didn’t water my garden most of the time.
The plants had to show me that they were willing to live! I did my part by choosing the plants that are suitable for our growing conditions and providing good soil. My ex-neighbor still makes fun of me for moving dirts (organic soil in the raised beds) when we moved.
It is amazing and overwhelming to start a farm now, where I can grow more. What I mean by ‘more’ is mostly more varieties, not necessarily more numbers of the same plant. To grow more and be efficient. we started making farm beds. I feel lucky I found heavy mulching paper on the web since laying down news papers to block weeds, which I always did in my previous gardens to build raised beds, is labor-intensive and doesn’t scale up very well.
After a short pilot growing season, the winter came. Winter is a dangerous time when all the seeds and plants catalogs arrive. One thing was and is very certain: I want to grow everything.
So, I am setting myself up for an epic challenge. I let myself order (almost) all the seeds I wanted. I am not even sure how I am going to physically start seeds, transplant, and grow them let alone harvest, do post-harvest care, market, package, and sell them. Sometimes reasons can not stop a desire from doing (stupid) things. I just have to go with what my heart desires - more and more and more plants!
Ahh... It was indeed an epic challenge. After the first full year of growing season, it’s winter again and I am ordering and starting seeds. While I try to exercise restrain as much as I can, I am sure we will still end up with too many seedlings to transplant come spring and will run out of planting space!
Anemones bloom in April and May.
But, how can you say No to flowers that make your heart beat fast! Anemones were beautiful last spring, so I am growing 7 times more. Dan built me low hoop houses so that we can grow ranunculus! I trialed growing Icelandic poppy last spring and I am starting a couple hundreds from seeds. Sweet peas don’t have a long vase life, but their delicate poise and perfumes make them so attractive. Oh, and I had to order every color of Iron Stock because I have to see the colors in person… and the list goes on.
Let’s forget about all the back-breaking work that Dan and I have to do, and focus on the beauty and smiles that the plants will bring. At least, that’s how it works while you are in the planning stage.