The Planning Stage

I have spent most of January perusing garden magazines and books and making a Garden Plan For 2010. I think I have it down now if I can just keep this up. This is the first time I have actually spent much time in planning and I think it will certainly pay off in the end.

The first things I did was to make many lists. I made list of what I wanted to do and things I could do on my own and things I will have to hire some one to help. I made lists of plants that I already have and seeds I will be sowing for spring. I made lists of my gardens and their particular conditions.

The following is the results and I will tell you what I did. First I had to have a list of what I would be working with and all the particulars. I don't think I did very well placing my photos but here it is.

This is the plan for the first 4 months "2010 Garden/Landscape Planner". I placed the weeks going down and month across. This way I can see exactly how I can fit the projects in and at a glance determine what I need to do next. This planner I will write on and change as time passes making note of the completed chores.


I had to have more room and more specific information for implementing these goals. Here I created a page that I write a lot of notes and additional plans. This is to help me to be accountable and reach my goals. "Monthly Goals/Things To Do"

I have photos from 2009 gardens and I printed the photo and jotted down info about that particular garden - the conditions such as amount of sun, site problems and maybe how to remedy a problem. I also write down goals for this particular garden.

I made me a calender off of Word and this is where I note plantings and weather conditions.

Here I determine a theme or whatever and determine which seeds to plant where based on sun requirements.

I have a list of seeds I will be working with. I went to specific blogs whom I received seeds from and looked at the plants in their garden or to plant websites to obtain plant specifics. Two columns for notes about a specific plant. Columns for plant color, sun, plant height and spacing.

The last thing I have done is to prepare a time line. This is a seed start schedule and planting schedule for the baby plants. Across the top are in weeks with the date. I started with the first week I plan to start seeds which is Feb 13 and worked my way out to the week of April 24.

I am a planner for sure. Implementing my plans are something else. I think I will be able to work this plan pretty easy. Now comes the labor hours and hard work.

I can't wait to see all these pretties blooming this year. I must be patient for those perennials that bloom on the second year.

I hope that this may help someone else devise a plan. If you already do this each year pass on your tips to everyone.

This and That

It's thrilling this time of year to see something pop out of the dirt even if it is a controlled environment. As you can see they are coming up real good - germinated in 7 days. Again as you can see I stumped my toe when it came to dropping the seeds in the tiny holes. The seeds are so small you can't just drop 1 or 2 seeds.



I was reading last night about seed starting - and the article stated that when the seeds are so small - use a pencil eraser slightly moistened to place the seed.



The containers are in a south window and receive a good bit of direct sun but not really adequate since they require 8-10 hrs. Well I can't get that much. One way to enhance the amount of light they do receive by wrapping one side of a piece of cardboard with aluminum foil and place on the inside of the seedlings so that the light will reflect off of the foil. This is on my task of things this afternoon.



They need to be thinned badly. I was thinking I should do this ASAP to allow the better seedlings to grow efficiently.



This is the Lettuce Gourmet Mix and the other one is Broccoli Waltham.

I don't have but a couple of house plants. I use open gas heater - you know the kind, the old timey ones you light with a match - and this affects the growth and healthiness of the plant. So I grow all of my stuff inside my bedroom windows. Let's see - how many plants/seeds I can get in front of the twowindows? I don't know but I've got to move the bed and get some cheap shelving units to place in the windows.

I have to keep an aloe plant around. This is truly a miracle plant and has so many uses. Try rubbing all over your hands and wait 3 minutes and then wash them. Use it on cuts, abrasions, insect bites, mosquito bites and the most popular use is for burns. Anytime I burn my hands or arm in the kitchen quickly apply the plant juices and there is no blistering and relieves the pain. I haven't tried it on arthritis but I think I'll try that and see how good it works. This flower pot is one that Ben, my grandchild made for me 5-6 years ago. I love my little pot.

I bought me 50 daffodils - I know it's late and they may or may not make it but they only cost $5. so I have to try.

I put Buddy on the chain and went to get my gloves and digger and came back to find this. My white dog was black. There was a container that froze in the corner and sat in the rich black dirt and just like a kid he had to get down and dirty in the mud. Do you think he was trying to make mud pies. Anyhow - back the utility room went the gloves and out came the dog shampoo. I can't stand for Buddy to be dirty so I wasted no time in cleaning him up. (Can't believe how dismal this color photo appears - of course the grass is dead).

And now he looks much better. Aaahhh a white dog.

I am still in my garden books and notebook in hand planning my spring flair. I am having a good time putting my plans on paper and logging a timeline for completion of my projects.

Gardening is the best therapy. I can get out and begin digging and sometimes I feel like a kid or I am reminiscing(sp?) about when I was small playing in the mud. While I am gardening I hear the birds singing a peaceful tune and I know all is well. When I feel down - if I can muster up the gumption to get outside in my gardens I forget what had me feeling bad.

Hope you find therapy in the yard or gardens this week. If you can't get outside go get you some seeds and some dirt and go to town. It just feels good.