With the reduced schedule that came with COVID and retirement (which came within a few days of each other), I have had a year to go through drawers, cabinets, and closets. I have unearthed treasures and a great deal of no longer needed items and a few items that I wonder if I ever needed. And, don’t even know where they came from! 🙄 So, in a few places in our home, we now have space to grow. It may not last but I have enjoyed the process. Our home is small and I like opening a drawer that is NOT full.
THIS WEEK IT’S TIME FOR SEED STARTING PREP….
- What do I have?
- What do I need?
- What do I want?
WHAT DO I HAVE?
I have plenty of seed starting trays and pots for “potting up”. I saved almost every pot that came from the garden centers last year – well the black ones anyway. Even in the garden and potting shed, I like for things to match. 🤦♀️ It was sort of like the stories you hear from World War times, I was saving everything as we didn’t (and still don’t really) know where things are going as far as the pandemic is concerned. Remember those empty shelves in the grocery store? We still rarely see well-stocked shelves of toilet paper and paper towels!!
There are even things I have, that I never had before …. Carry out containers! Before COVID we either went out to eat or cooked. Now carry out is a common option. So, I’ve been saving carry out containers. There are so nice. I think they will make fabulous mini seed starting greenhouses! Mr. G drilled holes in them for drainage!
I’m wondering what you saved last year that you had never saved before?
WHAT DO I NEED?
Seeds. I have some leftovers from last year but not very many. They were hard to find last year! I was very glad that I had been somewhat of a hoarder where seeds were concerned.
While “hoarding” is not my nature, having the “extra” seeds on hand was a big help. I also learned that seeds last longer than we think. Some of these had been around a long time! With limited access, my son and I were trading back and forth to get the seeds we needed and could share!
To date, I have seed orders coming in, have purchased seeds from Lowes and have one more seed order ready to go. I thought I was “done” ordering but the Select Seed catalog came and I have sticky tabs on about every page. 😉 We are quickly moving beyond the “need” stage.
WHAT DO I WANT?
The past two years I have tuned in to English garden shows and podcasts and follow a ton of UK gardeners online. I love them! This has led to a few purchases. First was my beloved Hori Hori knife. I don’t know how I lived without that one. Thanks Rosie!
Now I am obsessed with “ROOT TRAINERS.” I have been gardening for 35+ years and I had never heard of root trainers until I had so many UK friends!! So, I bought some to try. I will use for sweet peas as they recommend. Now I have grown sweet peas without root trainers for most of those 35 years but still, the root trainers beckoned me and this could be the best sweet pea year ever!! I’m up for that!
ORGANIZING BOOKS
We are not going to talk specifically about how many garden books I have. Remember when I said I did not have hoarding tendencies – I guess I am a “selective hoarder”. Don’t ask Mr. G about my garden book “habit”. Friends, they are everywhere – I use them as a primary decorating tool. They are in most every room except the bathroom and laundry room! Mercy. Mercy. I tried to “reduce” books and maybe 2 – 3 found their way to the box. I’ll try again later. 😅
As you know the potting shed is tiny, but there are books — lots and lots of books. Shelves of books. Last night I climbed on a very sturdy chair and started rearranging books! Getting some I want at my finger tips during the spring! And, some that I love dearly as old friends and don’t want them far from me.
Several books that are now at my finger tips are old “friends” as we have been through many garden seasons together like Smith & Hawkins Book of Outdoor Gardening (1996). The first 16 pages are of beautiful gardens providing all the inspiration you will need to take their advice and create your own masterpiece!
Others books are fairly new like Monty Don’s Down to Earth, which I bought in England while with my daughter last year – makes me feel closer to her to see it. The book is written just as Monty talks. If you watch Gardeners’ World you can hear him as you read. Chocked full of inspiration and gardening information based on his 50 years of gardening. Of course, US gardeners need to tweak some of the information dependent on their growing zone and taking note of plants that do well in England but might be invasive in their neck of the woods.
There’s Tasha Tudor’s Garden and another Smith & Hawkins book, The Potting Shed. I get almost giddy touching the books and rearranging them. What’s your favorite garden book?
ORGANIZING PHOTOS
The organizing process even extends to my iPhone. I am going through apps I no longer need and photos.
Oh my word, how many pictures do you have on your iPhone??? After spending nearly an hour going through pictures and deleting what I didn’t want or need, I looked at the total 16, 483. WHAT??? How did that happen? So, now I am getting them into albums. It will probably take me until spring to accomplish this. But the upside is going through all the pictures!!
Ran across one of my very favorite images of the ‘Queen of Bourbon’ as she looked in 2013 – she’s at the top of this post. ⬆️ I don’t think she has been that spectacular since then!
And, photos from a day my daughter and I made flower crowns.
I am very grateful for the convenience and quality of iPhone photos but seem to spend a lot of time looking for images. I think having albums will help. If you have any tips, I’d love to hear them!
Hope you have a great weekend. Til next time … bloom wherever you are planted!
