Tag: gardening

Embracing Summer’s Bounty

Posted on by Jordank

#Summertime offers an embarrassment of riches — warm weather, #holidays to celebrate and cookouts galore. If you don’t like the heat, there are air-conditioned #summer blockbusters, pool parties and water sports to help keep cool.

Summer delivers bounty in the form of fresh fruits and vegetables, too. Whether you grow your own favorites in a backyard #garden or visit the local farmer’s market, there’s no match for fresh, flavorful produce harvested in season.

Here at The Organizing Blog, we enjoy growing heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, hot peppers, chard and herbs — and with the recent heat wave, are looking forward to a bumper crop. In less than a month, we’ll be running out of ways to use it all!

We’ll grill sweet corn and summer squash. We’ll bake zucchini bread and tomato-and-chard tarts. We’ll blend up potato-leek soup, basil pesto and fresh salsa. And we’ll make a host of other dishes that celebrate summer.

There are ways to keep enjoying that bounty year-round, say the chefs at The Chopping Block. Some vegetables can be blanched and frozen, and even more can be pickled and canned. And to enjoy a summery entrée later in the year, cook an extra and freeze it for a wintry day.

Even as you discover creative new ways to eat your way through the season, consider for a second whether your material bounty — your stockpile of owned, nonperishable things — is getting out of hand.

Summer is a great time to cull through those possessions and #organize. Cold weather won’t get in the way of #decluttering, and you can always stage a #garage sale to make a little money off the things you no longer want or need.

You can also #donate lightly used #clothing and household goods to ClothingDonations.org year-round with a #free #donation #pickup. Resale of those goods helps fund valuable #veterans programs.

However you choose to embrace summer’s bounty, remember that it won’t be around for long. Now’s your chance to enjoy everything that summer has to offer! #SummerBounty

Get Your Garden off to a Great Start

Posted on by Jordank

Mid-May is when most areas put the threat of frost or freeze in the rearview mirror, meaning that it’s finally safe to #plant your favorite #flowers, herbs and #vegetables for summer enjoyment. But whether you’re a beginning grower or a longtime green thumb, it pays to do some prep to get those pots and plots off to a good start.

A container garden is (relatively) easy. Pick a good potting soil and the starter plants you wish to grow. Better Homes & Gardens suggests color-coordinating flowering plants and mixing up heights for a dramatic presentation, while paying attention to their individual demands for light and water. And if you like to cook, try growing your own herbs!

A vegetable garden can be a little trickier. It’s basically a small-scale farm, and farms can’t succeed just anywhere. Start by testing your soil, Almanac says, to make sure you have the right pH and nutrients for optimal plant growth. When you test, you can add fertilizers and other amendments to improve the soil’s texture and viability.

For example, manure enriches the soil with essential nutrients and organic matter, This Old House says; compost improves soil texture and fertility by adding a balanced mix of nutrients and enhances the soil’s water-holding capacity; and peat moss aids moisture retention and aeration while acidifying the soil.

Once your soil is ready, plant the vegetables and flowers you want, paying attention to which are compatible and have similar needs. For example, tomatoes and basil — good together on the plate — are great garden companions because basil deters the pests that target tomatoes, says House Beautiful.

If you want a one-and-done garden plot, try planting a bunch of perennials. Plants such as hostas, daylilies and coneflowers will thrive and spread with little attention, says Epic Gardening, lending splashes of color to your yard. Plant them in the right spots, and all you’ll have to do is thin them occasionally.

Whatever your #gardening goals, now’s the time to get started. Summer won’t last forever, so take an afternoon to plant, and you can enjoy your garden for months — or years — to come!

Prune Trees and Source Plants Early in Spring

Posted on by Jordank

#Gardening tasks to pursue early in the season include pruning trees and shrubs, The Spruce says, because you can visualize their shape better before they bud and grow leaves. Also consider sourcing any must-haves for your #garden well ahead of planting time, including hard-to-find or popular flower and vegetable varieties and gardening tools. Clean and sharpen your existing tools and containers in preparation for spring, or look for new-to-you tools and supplies at the #thrift and #secondhand stores supplied by generous #donations to ClothingDonations.org. #GardenPlanning

Planting Your First Flower Garden

Posted on by Jordank

Are you a first-timer when it comes to #flower #gardening? Planning can be tricky, but the rewards will be a bright and colorful space that you can enjoy throughout the spring, summer and fall. First, consider the location of potential #garden plots, says Three Acre Farm. Many colorful flowers require lots of sun to succeed, and most need regular watering and rich soil. Map out your new garden location on paper and start small — doing more than you’re ready for can lead to disappointment. Fortunately, #flowers such as cosmos, zinnias, sunflowers and calendula are very forgiving and available in a rainbow of colors. #GardenPlanning

Plan Your Garden for an Ongoing Harvest

Posted on by Jordank

So you’ve decided to create a #vegetable #garden. It’s easy to grow a couple of tomato plants, says Almanac, but bigger plans will require consideration of where plants will go and when each should be planted. Cool-weather crops such as lettuce, radishes and peas flourish in early spring, while warm-weather vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers can’t go into the ground until the soil warms up. Know time to maturity, too — tomatoes typically take 90 days or more to harvest, while you’ll be picking lettuce in just a few weeks. With forethought, you’ll enjoy variety of fresh vegetables for months! #GardenPlanning