As the story goes...a few years ago, I began reclaiming lawn space building raised boxes, and blogging about my adventures in gardening. I think this is year 7 of the ever-growing garden that officially launches late May every year. The community that @GardenHive has become is for us green thumbs. There is actually a contest my gardening friends can still enter before the end of tomorrow here https://hive.blog/hive-140635/@gardenhive/welcome-to-the-creative-garden-a-new-writing-challenge-in-the-garden-hive You best follow @gardenhive as they are quick impromptu contests that you can miss if you are not following.
This week, I am inspired by the contest, and looking back on firsts.
In the Beginning
This is the oldest picture I could find and it is from the first version of the Pickleman Family Garden. Look at those new boards that I repurposed from our backyard skating rink to build our first big garden box. Apparently I was big on sunflowers, nasturtiums, tomatoes and cucumbers. Humble beginnings and the start of a whole new chapter of lessons to learn.
Here is how we should look somewhere in the middle of this summer.
This Year's First
This is how we were looking during a little false spring when I cleaned up a bit of the winter mess. Still not even started but excited for the adventure.
I have had weeks of weekends with worthwhile excuses to procrastinate another week. Snow. Rain. Cold. Indoor projects. There are no excuses when Mother's Day comes around.
This weekend is often spent doing nice things for Moms. For me, it is the weekend I vow to get the garden prep started, tackle a list of odd jobs, and usually end up making a huge mess while cleaning up. Posts and deck planters to be cleaned up and replanted. All of last year's dead grass and other plants have to be pulled from the gardens. The early weeds have to be pulled and the soil has to be prepared before the planting even begins. Even the fences have become part of the routine and need to be redone to protect everything from Doggosaurus Wrecks.
Planning the Planting
This was the first visit to the garden center, nursery or whatever it is called where you are. It did cost me $150 for just the beginnings but it is money well spent. Not only will it help us grow food and flowers that ultimately make our food possible, it starts another season of family year time, and also another chance to reward my better half on one of her many special days.
This is the first year that hops have popped up on their own in the spring. Being a #beerologist, it is almost compulsory that I grow my own hops and these are Rakau variety originating in New Zealand.
Sherbet Skies
So sets the sun on our first real weekend in the garden. What will we plant? Flowers? Veggies? Herbs? Well, yes to all of that and you might just have to tune into next week's edition of the Pickleman Family Garden.
Mom started me along my path of growing stuff when I was a kid. Motivated by so many blockchain blogging gardeners, I figured I would plant and share and learn as I reclaim as much grass space as I can. It has turned out to be a fruitful experience and I hope to inspire others to sow and grow no matter what your location or experience level is.
Just make sure you tag #creativegarden and check out the latest @gardenhive post to see if you can get in on the contest.
Wherever you are...JUST GROW!
I am honoured to curate for:
The view is perfect man, I didn't know the word sherbet was used there, it's very common in Turkish haha. Can't wait to see what you plant next week man, I'm sure you'll show us some great techniques.
Normally we don't plant til this weekend every year which is a long weekend celebrating some old bird's birthday I think. We had such a long spell of 20 Celsius weather, I threw some tomato plants in the ground and now we may have frost overnight!
My techniques are not always great but at least I can inspire people to garden because if I can, anyone can.
You're so unlucky, man. Freezing is one of the worst things that can happen to plants. I hope it never happens.
Everyone has their own techniques in farming and I'm sure yours will come in handy for someone.
I can;t wait to see what it will look like this year. The wife started clearing out our landscaping and planting flowers this last wekeend. Our rose bushes are looking rather rough, the bugs are eating at them and some kind of other bush has grown up in one, so I am going to have to do something about that. Like you Mothers Day time is when we usually like to start our flower and garden planting.
Yah man.
It isn’t easy but nothing worthwhile is. I just love the cosmic value of interacting with organisms in our universe and gardening is about as pure as it gets. Tomatoes and peppers don’t cause you stress and are a nice gift for others when you have tooo many.
Flowers? I have a few of those and will share it all soon.
Beware the doggosaurus! I have to be wary of the chickenosaurus but that's another story.
Don't you love how a new season brings new firsts? It's time to start again and learn from the old season and improve. I love how your lawn is giving away to usable food beds - a better use of space for sure.
I had to get rid of my hops - I love them, but they are so hard to manage when they get big and I get sick of all the hard work! NExt time I'll just shout out to the neighbourhood to see if anyone can give me a few handfuls for tea for the year.
Thanks for joining in, Zeke!
Happy to be here! I will make it a weekly thing and the next one will be a bit of a closer look at the stages of preparation and some planting!
The garden must grow!
The blockchain gardening bloggers truly inspired you. This garden is a very beautiful one. I like that!
I am amazed at the cool things the blockchain inspires me to do and the people I meet like you and the gardeners for example!
Your garden is very clean and beautiful. I do most of my garden maintenance myself and know how much work it takes to keep things tidy.
Haha with the ladies and the dog, neat and tidy are pretty much unattainable. Maybe the illusion of controlled chaos is the best I can hope for?
Pretty cool stuff! I have to stay away from nurseries. My eyes get bigger than my yard. So I order stuff instead! Is this better? No indeed it is not. I forget what I ordered, and order some more!
It's looking good man, real good. Happy harvesting.