My 2018 - This is my Hobby: Growing Healthy Plants

Lilacs East side May 2006

I started growing plants when I got my first apartment in 1974. I don’t remember where I got the plants from. I had never grown anything before this so I’m not sure why I started.

The plants, coleus and green wandering jews, grew to huge sizes, feet long or across. I was smitten to know that plants would be so happy in my care. I probably spent a disproportionate amount of our tiny income on pots and soil that first year.

Asparagus fern June 2016

As I said, I have been growing things since 1974. I grew house plants for years until I had a house and yard I could grow in. Then I grew flowers in 31 flowerbeds of varying sizes. In 1992 I planted my first vegetable garden. It did so well, it was expanded to twice its size in 1993. In 1995 I started a smaller one for my son. Over the years I’ve added a few flowerbeds, they now total 37. In 2016 I added a huge herb garden. For in the winter, I have 75 house plants to keep me busy.

White Iris East garden May 1987

Every single season, I learn something more about growing. This year I was gifted T5 fixtures and have been astounded at the improvement in growth for the plants under these new lights. I don’t think I would have thought it would be so dramatic, enough to be considering replacing my old T12 lights as I can.

Playing with my hobby is a part of my life here on the farm. The growing season starts in October when I lay out the gardens for the next year. Once the seed orders are made in December, there is a hiatus until my starting season begins on March 1. There’s the occasional job, like putting the biology into every new seed packet that arrives or spending a day figuring out what is getting started on each starting date. Once the first seedlings come up, I check on progress each day and make notes.

First vegetable garden July 1992

I love seeing tiny life emerge from a little speck, sometimes literally dust size. I love figuring out what each plant prefers for growing conditions and trying to provide them. It brings a little bit of happiness each morning when I go down and see how much they’ve grown since the day before.

Working out in the gardens is something I crave, especially at this time of year. To bring order to chaos, to prepare nice beds for little seedlings to grow in, to amend the soil so it can nourish the plants are all things I take pleasure in.

Having my hands in the soil, sitting on the ground working the beds, soaking up sunshine, and being grounded all contribute to my feeling of well being.

Growing things is challenging because you have to work with Mother Nature. Sometimes she has a tantrum and you have to work around that. Tiny plants are delicate and it does not take much to stress them. Being mindful of this when you are exhausted and trying to finish a job can be hard.

New Herb garden August 2017

Growing things is a priority here on the farm. During the season, it does take time away from other activities. I have much less time to spend on family and friends from April into November. So I just have to make it up during the slow time in winter.

I am very lucky in that growing things is my job on the farm. I do what I love. I am my own boss; I decide what I am going to do each day. Not having to answer to someone takes away lot of stress.

Roundtop window February 2017

My hobby is expensive. Because I want the best health for my plants, I spend a lot of money on the best seed, soil, and amendments. Once those are bought, there is little expense except gas for hauling in mulch off and on during the season.

Because I spend so much for growing things, there is not much left over for recreation or gifting. Most of our clothing comes from BuyNothing or tag sales. We live very frugally but we eat very well!

East Shed garden May 2007

Levels of Expertise

An amateur is someone learning about how things grow, just starting out, or not real interested in the meat and bones of a truly healthy soil and garden. They grow plants that may produce, but not well, often with disease and pest problems.

An adept is someone often referred to as “a green thumb”. They have the gift of making plants thrive. They know what the plants need for health and how to provide it. Perhaps they can also advise outside their own geographic area.

Rose in the South Herb garden June 2002

An expert is someone who has been growing things a long time, completely understands all the biology and nutrient needs of soil and plants, probably educated about growing things, and can advise over many geographic areas.

I think being an adept or an expert means having some innate skill and some learning. I know if I had more money and materials my growing would jump forward. But this would not make me an expert, as I could not tell someone in Arizona what they might need to grow things well.

Big vegetable garden August 2015

I don’t think there’s a single other thing more important than growing the best food I can. I feel that growers of food should be the top of the pyramid; that they should be encouraged to grow the best food in the healthiest soil they can husband.

I know that having the best food from the healthiest soil would eliminate most of the disease and illness in people and animals. I know that creating the healthiest soil is the one best thing that can be done for the planet’s health. I know pursuing my hobby on my little piece of heaven creates a better ecology here.

Pothos January 2018

So I teach what I have learned, sharing the information and my passion for healthy plants and soils. Someone once took time with me and taught me what I needed to know. Now I pay it forward, sharing what I know so that someone, and their plants, can have a healthier life.

West maple with dianthus June 2006