I watched Avatar for the first time this evening- I know, crazy to believe I was one of the few in the world that did not go see it in theaters. Not that I didn't want to, it's just hard to find the time with an infant on your hands and not many babysitters to call on! But that's not why I am writing, it is a segway into my topic tonight- gardening. If you live in Utah, you know you can't begin to garden until at least Mother's Day weekend, but, if you are like me, you've been planning and thinking about your garden since January. I am new at this gardening thing, and so far not very good at it, but I am determined to do it right, eventually... This year may be the one. I have done some intense research into indigenous plants to Utah, gardening methods, and harvest suggestions. Needless to say, I was left a little overwhelmed. One of the things that has helped me has been the Home Depot Garden Club online. What a great resource! It's a community online that gives you advice on what types of plants are good in your hardiness zone (A phrase new to me, so if it is for you too, google it!) and how to raise them. I use raise for a reason here. Take the lesson from Avatar, treat the Earth with respect. Don't go loading it up with chemicals and artificial materials- Mother Nature has been doing this for thousands of years, it kind of has it figured out, without pesticides. I originally tried pretty flowers, picked based on colors, but as my lifeless rose bush can tell you, I didn't plan very well. This years I have a different approach. Herbs, vegetables, and fruits that grow well in my climate are on the top of my list. Fun flowers and greenery that are native to this land and the second tier. After that, I hope I don't have room!
I live in a town home, to let you all in on a personal detail of my home life, so my planning is more intricate than I would like. I can't dig up a fresh patch of earth and get to it, I have to think pots, planters, baskets, hanging things, and container gardens. Enter my fabulous mother in law. She is an amazing woman- and right up my alley (Thank god! If you hate your Mother-in-Law, I bet you can borrow mine for a weekend and see what a real one is like! And a few brownie points for smashing reviews online can't hurt the relationship any either... :)). Armed with some magazines and green thumb of a Grandmother-in-Law, she is coming next weekend to help me build, stuff, layer, dig, plot, and plant. Also known as container gardening. We are building and potting to our hearts content, and hopefully with all this attention to the Earth and what she chose long before I started taking matters into my own hands I will have a plentiful garden and something to be proud of.
That is the hope. I'm feeling like I can do anything as long as I become a tree-hugger, but maybe all I need is more attention to detail, a plan, and a membership to Home Depot's Garden Club (free, by the way). Who knows, maybe I can tap into my Avatar and talk to the spirit thing and it will water and weed for me!
Have you planned on gardening? What are you thinking of doing?
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