Spring is almost here. The temperatures are warming up, at least part of the time. It is too cold to go outside and start planting, but it is the right time to get the beds ready, make some plans, and start seedlings indoors. There is something about the whole process that brings me joy.
I went through my seeds to find the ones I can start early, like: lettuce, spinach, kale, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. I have never tried broccoli or cauliflower but want to give it a try. I also went to the local grocery and found some organic sweet potatoes to get started. Last year was my first attempt with sweet potatoes. I heard there were two ways to start them. I tried both. One is to put a sweet potato in a jar or glass suspended with tooth picks. Fill the jar/glass up with water and leave it set. You have to keep the water level replenished as you wait for the roots to grow, (change the water every couple of days). Little slips will eventually grow out of the potato. It is the slips you need to grow the plants. However, after the slips are a few inches long, you pick those off and put them in a glass of water to grow roots before you can plant them. As you can imagine, it takes quite a while. The other way to do it, is to bury the sweet potato in a tub of dirt. (Just lightly cover them with soil). I used the little totes that are about a foot long, 6 inches wide, and about 5 inches deep. They have to be kept warm and moist. It takes at least 4-6 weeks to start growing slips. Just like the other method, you pick off the slips, put them in water, and let the roots grow before planting them.
Planning my garden now is helping me to have something to look forward to after a very cold and snowy winter. Most of us suffer from a little bit of winter blues, lack of sunshine, and too many gray, cloudy days. Hopefully by starting my plants late February and early March, this will cut down on the plants I need to purchase. Usually I get a late start and spend way too much money on larger plants. Money is a little extra tight this year, so I am trying to be frugal and resourceful.
Every year I try something new. I would say this year it is more about planning and using the seeds I already have. At the end of the season last fall, I collected a ton of marigold seeds. Last year was the first time I got marigolds to grow. It is crazy how they added so much color and beauty to my simple garden. They also kept away pests, while attracting pollinators to needed plants like cucumbers and squash.
I still have so much to learn about gardening. It is a learning process, and we learn from our mistakes. We also learn from each other. To me gardening is about knowing what my family is eating. It is about growing high quality, nutritious food, without all the chemicals. Gardening gets me outside in the fresh air and sunshine. It is also very rewarding. When I grow food, it makes me feel like I have accomplished something great. Then I can turn that food into delicious meals. Last year I made my own spaghetti sauce from the tomatoes, carrots, zucchini, and basil that grew in my garden. That was a delicious accomplishment.
Happy gardening!