Green Thumb Momma

Hubby has gotten into metal detecting. He purchased a tool for me that he uses in his endeavors. It's an all-in-one multi-purpose garden tool hand trowel I was hesitant about it, but promised hubby I would give it a chance.

I love it. One tool does it all. I've opened bags of topsoil, cut through small roots and sprouts, removed tap-rooted weeds, easily dug through hard clay soil . . . on and on. I've put the garden scissors, the trowel, and the bulb shovel away. It is tough, strong and comfortable in my hand. I don't even carry around my tool bucket anymore!

Thumbs up!

(NOTE FROM HUBBY: I'm not a small guy, and when I'm metal-detecting, I can lean all my weight on this thing to pry up the ground and not worry about it bending!)

Besides being an avid gardener and consumer of all things gardening, I am a stay-at-home mom. I have a son who is 6 years old and in first grade. My daughter is 2 3/4 years old and in preschool. I have my own unofficial "life parameters" in order to keep our chaotic world a little more orderly. For example, on Monday mornings, I pick up and straighten the entire house. You will understand when I say that when the brood and Hubby are home for the weekend, it is impossible for me to keep ahead of the destruction that three other people create. So I've learned to never expect the house to be straight on Saturdays and Sundays. Monday I will once again be the "mrs.-of-all-I-survey." On Saturdays and Sundays that is a hopeless task.

Well, I've applied certain of my "staying-at-home and just-trying-to-make-it-through-the-day" philosophy to gardening. In my efforts to rationalize a desire to stay an earth-friendly parent/gardener, I justify myself in the following ways.

A Stay-at-Home Mom's Top 5 Reasons to Go Organic

5. Nature is the Great Educator. Kids love animals. Synthetic pesticides often kill the very bugs and animals that will entertain your children for hours. Why eliminate such excellent playmates? Son and Daughter have loved the turtles, skinks, lizards, frogs, toads, hummingbirds, butterflies, hawks, bats, deer, rabbits . . . all which have visited our yard . . . These little critters keep Son and Daugher occupied for hours, so I have time to peruse my latest issue of The English Garden. Organics Educate!

4. Save on future medical bills. All those extra appendages that synthetics cause -- a nightmare in medical bills to remove! Nationalized healthcare - bah! Organics are safer.

3. Organics are available in almost every gardening section in any store. When I shop with my kids, the fewer the stops the better. "It's a pain to get the kids out of their car seats again" . . . no longer a legitimate excuse. Organics keep you out of the chiropractor's office for backpain . . . Daughter weighs 36 lbs - a hefty sum for the car seat/wrestle-mania smackdown.

2. We don't even need to go to the zoo, children's museum, science museum  . . . it's all in our backyard! No admissions fees that add up to more than the dividends on your stocks. Organics save money on entertainment and gas, too.

1. The look on Son's face when you explain that you're spreading blood, ground up fish, and/or poop in the garden beds . . . imagine the range of looks he'll give you. . . shock, disgust, then slowly, here it comes . . . admiration. He says to his friend, "Hey dude, my mom is spreading blood all over my yard. Isn't that totally cool? Come check it out." Organics make you the coolest mom in the neighborhood.

I live for moments like that . . . and for getting my hands dirty.

Here are several updates from previous posts . . .

1. I have finished preparing my new island bed in the back yard . . . new plants will be going in from mail order, transplants from elsewhere in the garden, or from plant division. I'm very excited. Hubby and I finished removing sod, tilled the ground, added amendments (gypsum, greensand, and all purpose fertilizer), then added twelve 40lbs bags of organic topsoil, two 40 bags of organic humus, and eight 20lbs bags of compost. All of these amendments were mixed thoroughly by hand with a garden fork. I topped it all of with some Preen - a weed preventer. This product is not organic, but I think it's necessary. There is an organic version that uses cornmeal . . . when I can find it in the stores, I will try it. On the backbreaking scale this project has ranged pretty high, so I'm hoping what they say about hard work is true.

2. My order from Bluestone Perennials arrived yesterday. It was accurate, on time and the plants look pretty good. All are larger than I expected.

3. My cool season veggies are looking pretty okay. Some of the lettuces are going to be harvested for tonight's dinner, the broccoli is looking good, but no heads yet. The beans have had a disease which I think I've fixed for the time being. The beans have blossoms too. The Swiss chard looks yummy, colorful and vibrant. The critters still seem to be avoiding the garden. I've still got Irish Spring Bar Soap scattered everywhere, but I am out of the Liquid Fence. Let's hope I don't need it. My garden is small enough that one "unwelcomed visitor" would finish it off and be looking for an entre.

4. Water restrictions have been lifted in my area, because of a couple of major storms that have come through, and temperatures have steadily dropped. It was 57 degrees last night for a low. No leaves changing yet, but I've been forced to wear a coat to the bus stop in the mornings.

Gotta get those new plants in the ground . . . hope the sandbox isn't too wet for the kiddos to play in while I work. Planning on getting my hands dirty tonight.

Remembering 9/11/01. . .

I've started a new perennial bed. I've never done this before, start to finish. It will be a 30' x 5' island in the middle of the back yard. I've been following Andre Viette's recommendations as outlined in his books and on his website www.inthegardenradio.com (check out "Preparing the Bed" in the tips & advice section.)

Hubby sprayed the grass with a turf killer. We've worked on removing the sod slowly - it is a serious workout in the heat and humidity. I hope to get the last bit of sod up, edge with bricks, and loosen/till the soil this weekend (going to call Ms. Utility today!). I've got the recommended amendments already (Plant Tone, gypsum, greensand, Osmocote.) This weekend I hope to get some topsoil and compost in the trailer. The edging bricks are leftovers from Hubby's parents. They had some walkways installed -- lucky me! Thanks Grandmom, PopPop and G.G.

Hubby will have to help, because it's beefy manly work (wink, wink). Besides I love to see (not smell) him working hard with his work boots and shorts - it's fabulous. Hauling the bricks, the topsoil (for 8-10" deep) and the compost . . . I'd rather have someone else do that.  Then, there's the mixing too. Everywhere you read the gardening guru's tell you, "Make sure the soil is healthy. It's by far the most important aspect of gardening." I agree. Get it right the first time.

It's the planting I love . . . the creativity and imagination realized. Such satisfaction and enjoyment in the end product . . . my pastors will see a sermon there!

Almost all the plants in this new bed will be transplants and divisions from elsewhere in the yard. I will buy more of the same plants to fill in where there's an empty spot. I don't forsee any other plants needing to be added. The bed will be greens, purples and light pinks. . . so imagine a dogwood and a pink crape myrtle as bookends. Caryopteris, miscanthus, and russian sage for height and winter interest. Also peonies, tall and creeping sedums, heucheras, catmint, mazus, veronica, stachys, echinops, and phlox.

Can't wait for next spring . . . Inspired to get your hands dirty? I am.