Bethanyology

This week I've been gardening.  I've been enamoured with the idea of gardening ever since I got married and moved into an apartment with a backyard.  But, as my neighbors will attest, I'm not a skilled gardener.  And since the last two gardening seasons I've been sick and pregnant or had a brand-new baby, our yard has been sadly neglected ever since we moved into our house.  Last year my sister, Abby, put in a grand effort with me in weeding part of my front yard and I'd like her to know it was not in vain, though I never did get anything planted that lived.  This spring that section of the yard is nearly clear of weeds, while the rest of the yard is awash with them.

So, this season, now that I'm not pregnant, not sick, and have learned how to juggle other tasks while taking care of a new baby, I'm gardening.  This week I pruned roses (sorry to my neighbors for leaving the pruning remains on my lawn–I'm still trying to figure out how to get rid of the trash) and got some proud scratches in the process.  I also started hacking away at the ivy that's taken over the rose beds.  And, best of all, I planted flowers and vegetables!

I planted snapdragons (the flower assigned to me by my parents the year each sister got to plant and care for a flower, and the plant that I pulled out of the ground that time I was in time out and mad at my mom when I was 5ish) and allysum.  They will be beautiful in my front planter.  I only planted some of my snapdragon seeds, since my friendly gardening neighbor and friend, Jalanne, told me not to plant them till danger of freezing is gone.  I just couldn't wait that long, but I only planted a few so that if they die I'll have more to plant later. 

I planted carrots, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, green beans, and onions.  Jalanne also taught me to wait on the zucchini, summer squash, pumpkins, tomatoes, and peppers until around Mother's Day.  I bought seeds to plant peas, but I haven't got the space cleared out for them yet…maybe I'll get to that this afternoon when the kids wake up from their naps. 

There is a TON more weeding to do, I need to finish clearing out those rose beds and prune one more rose bush, and I need to prune some trees.  And, possibly most importantly, we need to fix our sprinkler system and put in grass seed.  We have lettuce from last year growing in the lawn (I pulled out the dead lettuce plants and left them on the lawn for a while, so the seeds sprouted plants there where there was only dead grass) along with the dandilions that have gone crazy there.  But I've made a good start, and it was fun!  So, get outside and enjoy the Springy sunshine! 

Tags: lawn, plant, planted, prune, rose, seeds, yard