Don’t Throw in the Trowel

This has been one pooptastic year. Don’t you think? We have all been doing our best to “hang in there”, stay safe, and somehow maintain sanity, while hoping this will all be over soon. Life as we know it has completely changed. As the months go on and there seems to be no end in sight, it weighs heavily on our minds and our hearts. Mental health has taken a toll. Stress, anxiety, and depression are at an all time high. It is more important than ever to take control of our health and well-being. You may be thinking “that is easier said than done”, but don’t throw in the trowel just yet. Hear me out.

Did you know that gardening has a positive impact on stress? Yep! It can increase creativity and a sense of peace. Gardening also improves cortisol levels and overall mood. In addition, when you consume food and herbs that are chemical free, you are providing your body with the nutrients it needs, without all of the negative effects on your hormones, or your nervous and immune systems from pesticides and chemicals. I’m sure you’re aware that organic isn’t cheap, but if you grow it yourself, your salad won’t break the bank!

Let’s talk herbs, which by the way, are some of the easiest edibles to grow. In addition to offering nutrition and flavor, herbs have wonderful medicinal properties. Rosemary is excellent for memory and metal clarity. Peppermint awakens senses, eases tension and is good for digestion. Lemon Balm, Tulsi (Holy Basil), Chamomile, and Lavender are all fantastic for calming and relieving stress. What’s great about herbs is that you can add them to recipes, or steep in water and make a tea. Know what else is great? You can grow them indoors in the winter! Yay!

When all the world shut down, one of the greatest outcomes was that people all over the country started their own victory garden. It made me so happy to see all the posts. People who had never grown anything were excited to show off their little seedlings and plants. But then as time passed, people became frustrated. Plants died or wouldn’t produce.  Pests and disease took over and people threw in the trowel on their victory garden. If this happened to you, please don’t despair. You are not a plant killer, and I would love to help you get that dream garden.

Since it’s too cold to grow outdoors here, I suggest starting with herbs indoors. You can get a couple windowsill pots and start small. If there are certain herbs you like to cook with, start there. If you drink tea, the possibilities are endless. If you’re new to the whole thing, you can grab some starter plants and just re-pot them in some cute little pots that fit on your windowsill. You can also start with seed. Since it’s pretty cold here, you may need a heat mat to germinate them because the soil will need to be at least 68 degrees. Heat mats are available at garden supply stores or amazon.

Winter is also a great time to plan your outdoor garden for spring. You’ll want to have a plan before the ground thaws so you’re ready to go when the nights are warm enough. Cool weather plants and leafy greens are the first to go in. Veggies like arugula, beets, carrots, kale, lettuce, onions, peas, radish, spinach, and Swiss chard to name a few. Then, after Memorial Day (depending on the year), it will be time to add the peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, squash, cucumbers… oh the possibilities are endless. Envision this if you will: “Hey, I’m hungry. What’s for dinner?” Then you proceed to stroll out to your beautiful garden and shop for dinner. It’s such an amazing feeling. Truth be told, I like to grab a glass of wine and sit for a bit to relax. Then I grab my snips and a basket and pick out dinner.

Wait? No room for a garden? Live in an apartment? I got you covered! You can grow so many things in pots. If you have a balcony, patio, deck, or even a front step that gets some sun, you can grow your own food! Stay tuned for future posts about that.

Not sure where to start? Need some help solving some issues you struggled with this past year? Know someone who could benefit from having a garden but needs some help getting it going? Let me help you get growing. Go to the main menu and check out my info on garden consultations. I would love to help.

Until next time…

Dream Big, Plant Love, and Grow Where You’re Planted

XOXO - Laurie