My Second Season in the Garden [Zone 9b]

Sharing My Second Season in the Garden at our California Homestead.

The fog is thick today. I did some walking around my property and noticed some new buds coming along. It’s hard to imagine this space as much of a garden since most of the plants are barely visible. Their bare twigs poking out just enough so I know their location. In just a few short weeks it will be time to head out here and prep the beds for planting. 

I sounded so official the way I just said that. As if I got it under control over here.I can tell you I have as much control on these plans as I do the weather. Although I have quickly realized that many seasoned gardeners are still learning right along with me. So I can be confident too, right? 

I have been doing tons of obsessive reading on garden types. If you know me personally, you likely laughed at that last sentence. If not, just know I am the type of person who will read every single thing possibly written on a subject when I am interested. This is the madness that is me.

Garden Plans For the Second Season

Back to this whole gardening thing. I will be experimenting with a lasagna-style garden bed in addition to the raised beds I built last year. At some point, I will do a post about the results of my results with this style of gardening. As with anything in the early stages, I have high hopes. Let’s hope they aren’t so high I go and jinx me. 

 For me, the raised beds were a little pricey when you factor in the dirt needed to fill the thing not to mention the building materials to make it. 

I made the wise decision to start a compost pile to fill these beds. I have two currently working and continue adding to it as the weeks go by. 

A Quick Garden Tip

One thing I will advise if you are new to gardening or building raised bed is to use seal the wood with Linseed Oil which is an organic oil used to protect the wood that will be used around food. I got mine on Amazon. You may as well protect the wood so it will last longer if you are going to invest in building it.

Otherwise I have heard non sealed wood will last about 2 seasons before it begins to rot. Once this happens, you’ll be out replacing that expensive wood. Just something to consider. 

So yes! The seed books are out and I am overwhelmed once again with the choices. I have been advised to pick the things you’ll eat. Now this sounds like a no-brainer thing to consider but for some insane reason, you can find yourself chucking flats of things you have never grown, eaten, or have even read about growing into your cart if the price is right. 

You live and learn or so they say. I have torn out the last of these impossible plants to make way for the new more forgiving varieties come the warmer months. 

Spring Time

The coming months will be my very first complete year of gardening and my love for it is returning as the days get warmer. I see my first signs of daffodils coming up to the surface along the fence line. My daughter’s wild garden is bare now and ready to be resown. 

This is a garden in progress. A blank slate waiting for its cultivator. It waits for me. 

My mind is set on the walk out my back door scissors in hand to collect the food we need for dinner and with any luck some flowers to fill a vase. 

I am certain this is my year and these moments await me.

Until next time,

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