Midlife Sarah

Next up is a pretty easy part of gardening: planting seeds. Planting seeds is a very easy thing to do. Most seedlings sprout well in a variety of soils and with a variety of watering techniques. But then, because of issues with light, watering, and fertilizer, problems often begin about two weeks after germination. (Germination is the term for seedlings poking through the soil). These factors  are responsible for a myriad of issues related to seedling care, so I'll focus the next three posts on those three topics. Today I'm talking only about the planting portion. And first thing, you need some seeds!  Buying your seeds: Which company is best?   With me, there is no seed snobbery. I have purchased seeds, organic and non-organic, from Fred Meyer, Walmart, Territorial Seed Co., Snake River Seeds, Johnny Seeds, D&B, Webb's, Home Depot, Lowe's, and more. I have always  been able to grow the seeds I purchased and haven't once encountered a pack of duds. I wouldn'...

A compiled list of the books that weren't chosen for book club, for reference  if we ever find ourselves without options, or if anyone is looking for another great book to read on their own.  You can click on the images to be taken to a book description page. The Vanishing Half, by Britt Bennett O Pioneers! by Willa Cather My Heart Lies South, by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino When Breath Becomes Air Graphic Cancer, Death, Medical content Moderate Grief, Suicide, Pregnancy Hello Beautiful Graphic:  Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Death of parent Moderate:  Cancer, Death, Abandonment Minor:  Child death, Homophobia, Alcoholism  Hannah Coulter Graphic War, Death, Grief Moderate Cancer, Gore, Death of parent Minor Terminal illness, Drug use, Addiction  All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier Frankenste...

  Today I'll talk about soil. Disclaimer: I am not a soil expert but I have worked with muddy soil, dead soil, and hard packed clay soil, and learned how to amend it to get things to a state in which plants will grow. I am not a scientist; only a gardener sharing what she's learned. As I said before, I didn't know the first thing about gardening when I began. So when it came time to get some soil to plant our seeds in, I simply went to the grocery store and purchased a few bags of Miracle Grow soil, then plopped my seeds into it. I figured that whoever bagged the stuff up probably knew what they were doing.  Since then I've learned a lot! I transitioned to purchasing bags of organic soil, initially mixing it in with my native soil to save on money. Unfortunately I began encountering new challenges and had to figure out how to overcome them without breaking the bank.  The main challenge I faced was that the organic soil mix became compacted. It was too heavy; muddy. Whi...