On one of my trips home from the hospital I desperately wanted to be outside. That day we managed to get a lot of flowers planted and a long row of beets.
The things we planted in early spring are growing by leaps and bounds. The radishes are ready to eat as is the lettuce and kale. The carrots, parsnips, and potatoes are coming right along and if they continue on the track they are on we will have a dandy harvest.
When we first moved into our house I only wanted to grow flowers. I was plum foolish about flowers. We couldn’t really afford to buy any, but lucky for me Granny and several aunts were always willing to share what they had with me.
During those years we helped Granny and Pap with their big garden so we still had access to good fresh vegetables. At some point I decided to start growing food instead of flowers.
I totally forgot about the flowers I had growing and even dug some of them up to make room for more vegetables.
A few years ago I realized I missed fooling with flowers and decided I wanted to add beauty to our garden areas with various blooms.
I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed mixing vegetables with flowers. It just plain makes me happy—feeds my soul to overflowing.
I’m excited about the food we will grow this summer but I’m also excited about the beautiful blooms that will surround our house.
Here’s the days we’ll aim for planting during the month of May.
Taurus: good for all root crops and above ground crops 6, 7
Cancer: best for planting above ground and root crops 10, 11, 12
Scorpio: best for flowers and above ground crops 20, 21, 22
Pisces: good for planting and transplanting above ground crops, trees and shrubbery 2, 3, 29, 30
Last night’s video: Being Outside Does Tipper Good!
Tipper
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I would love to plant some things in the grow bags, but what?……the only thing I have EVER put in them is tomato plants, but I don’t think they are deep enough to get a good crop.
So glad that Granny is home and feeling better. Prayers that you can enjoy her for as long as the Good Lord allows.
I went to White County Extension today and bought 2 packs of Nasturtium seeds. I was determined to plant Nasturtiums this year. I think I’ve already told you about the time when I was a little girl and my Mother gave me the Nasturtium seeds and I planted my own little garden. What a magical sight to behold! Those leaves were beautiful on their own but when the flowers blossomed out I was thrilled. Sometimes as I get older I need a reminder of times when I was a little girl and the sweet things Mama used to do to make my life happier. It rained some today so I wanted to get the seeds in the ground so they could begin to grow. I’ll let you know how they do. I’ve also planted zinnias, marigolds, and some wildflowers. My hubby bought a new wheel barrow since out old one was worn out and we also filled the old one with good rich dirt and planted more flower seeds in it. Our garden is growing in leaps and bounds. My hubby and I can hardly stay away from it. I had forgotten how enjoyable gardening is. Thank you again my precious friend for the motivation and simple reminders of the good ole days. I love you a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck!
Oh my stars, I did the same Tipper! About 30 years back I use to grow flowers all around the front of our house, mostly day lilies, tulips and daffodils. Then after we remodeled and took down our side porch to build a covered back porch, I had to dig up all the bulbs from the front and side of your house. I had like about five large 5 gallon buckets of bulbs. I was so busy with work at the time they sat in my garage until one day I mention to a co-worker I was going to get rid of them and he asked if he could have them for his wife. I was very happy to give them to him because I knew his wife was a great gardener of flowers. I was happy they were going to a good home. Years later I started focusing on growing vegetables instead in our back yard. About three years back I realized I really didn’t have any bees around my garden, so about two years back I decided to grow lots of flowers around the garden area. I grew flowers I’d never grown before like Zinnias and Nasturtium, Sunflowers, Petunia, along with others I’d grown in the past like Marigolds and Mums. They all grew beautiful! I actually think I feel in love with my garden that year. Plus all the bees returned! I have added flowers every year since and try new varieties too. I have to give you credit for me trying Zinnias and Nasturtiums because I saw how beautiful yours were and thought I’d see if I could grow them. You were so right, they are gorgeous in bloom! So, thank you for inspiring me to want to plant them.
So happy granny home I know she is so happy to be home. God bless all Joann Newman Richmond ky
I’m so happy to know Granny is home and that you can be home also! It was great to watch you outside! Outdoor therapy is the best! Continued prayers for Granny to continue to improve and for all of you. God bless you and yours❤❤
I missed the last planting dates on your blog. Hurray. I believe we are planting our peppers and tomatoes on a good day after all. Yay! Thanks Tipper.
Hi everyone. It looks like we are gonna get some rain for a few days in a row starting Saturday. Hubby and I are finishing planting our peppers and tomatoes this evening. I hope they will still grow well even if we couldn’t do it by the signs. I found lots of hot cherry pepper plants at our local greenhouse.—I was so excited. Last year was the first year we grew those—I canned some with sauce and pickled some—both ways were just delicious. Here we are just planting, and I am already dreaming of canning! I am so glad you are home and your Mama is feeling better—We sure did miss ya! Take care and God Bless.
No space or time for a vegetable garden for me other than a few tomato plants, my small garden consists of lots of flowers & herbs. Determined not to go broke on this hobby that I love so, I too stocked my garden with beautiful flowers that were propagated from gardens of others I love. After many years, each flower now has a memory attached of Mom, sisters, friends., brothers, aunts, cousins & frienfs. And now, memories of sons, daughters & grandchildren. Gardening is such a beautiful thing to learn, to teach & to share.
Praises to God for healing Granny enough that she could come home! I’m sure all of you are relieved. My sister gave me a beautiful bouquet of irises and peonies yesterday, and my apartment smells fabulous with their fragrance. Tipper, I’m happy you’re able to stroll around your yard once again and not have to hurry back to the hospital. I really enjoy being there with you by way of your YouTube videos!
We have everything in except the beans and those will go in this evening, Lord willing, just in time for some good rain this weekend!
As a younger woman I loved to garden–vegetables, fruits, and flowers, learning from my grandmother and parents. What I loved was the beauty but mostly planning and planting with my children. Memories burst with butterfly gardens, bee gardens, perennial and annual beds, their birthday month flowers, and my favorite, the zinnia and astilbe beds. During those times I can also see them climbing cherry trees and sitting on top of the garden shed, talking away, having accessed the roof from nearby trees. Precious times. Precious memories. I will always miss gardening with my family.
Nancy, as a young kid, I hated having to work in our 1-2 acre garden. Back in my time a kid starting working in a garden just about as soon as they learn to walk. A huge amount of our food depended on what we grew in the garden, very few things was bought at the store. There was some mornings or days when I had to be given a dose of hickory tea to motivate me to work in the garden. After I got grown I began to like having a garden but if you read my comment papaw it is now hard for me to have much of a garden.
I have a hair appt Sat, my deaconness ladies and I are baking cookies and setting up punch for baccalaureate Sun and I have a root canal scheduled Mon, darn….. I’m trying to plan when I can get outside (on my 3 days off) to plant what little we do in our three large raised beds. I’ve at least been able to take the 1&2 yr old grandbabies next door to the church playground this week I guess, so I’m outside at my son’s house, not planting anything but thats better than not being outside right!
I planted a few things last week while the ground was dry as it’s hard to plant by the signs when it rains so much in April and May. When I just finished planting, my friend called to chat for a minute as she and her husband traveled on vacation. You would have thought I had murdered someone when she found out I was planting before the 6th. With heavy rain expected tomorrow and Saturday, I may wait till the 6th to plant green beans to keep the seeds from washing away as they have done before.
Well the soul needs to be fed too. And the beauty of flowers certainly does that. You looked so happy and relaxed in last night’s video. So nice to see you in your happy place.
Some flowers in the garden really make a difference! I don’t have much garden space, so I do my tomato plants in large pots. This year I decided to plant a marigold with each tomato plant and they just look so pretty.
Flowers always just add to a vegetable garden don’t they? Momma always had some type of flowers in her garden. I’m gonna try again to grow some zinnias. Hoping to find the perfect sunny spot, which are sparse in the jungle I live in. Glad you got to play in your garden for just a wee bit. Continued prayers for Granny and all of you.
I think this is going to be a very fruitful year. Seems like most everything is out-doing itself.
I did your flower-to-vegetable process backwards. In the beginning it was all vegetables but I had such pretty volunteer violets I would try to save them. Then I added some flowers along inside the fence to keep them from the deer. Now I plant flowers through the garden; marigolds, zinnias and sunflower. Like you, I think it adds ‘eye candy’ that is another pleasure.
Like you I use to focus more on flowers, than vegetables and what I could can to help cut on the grocery bill. Now I would like to think I have a little more balance and grow flowers and veggies, but I will say that when the veggies are growing and coming on the flowers get neglected, but they sure do look pretty!
So glad your mom is now home and you get to be outside getting your “dirt therapy”!
I reckon I’ll be shootin for the 6th and the 7th. I’ve still got about 3 yards of bagged topsoil to spread though. Seems like a good hours work, maybe two, to an ordinary man but consider that the 40 lbs. bag weight is prohibitive to a stooped over old man and that he has to drag a chair with him to plop down in ever few minutes before he collapses. Add to that a hernia now and you’ve got a daunting task. But, I’m up to it if time and circumstances allow!!
I am in the same boat as you, because of 3 bad disc in my back and arthritis I can no longer stand very long or pick up 40 lbs without it hurting my back. This is from a man that at one time didn’t give picking up a 100 lbs a thought and loaded 5 ft sticks of pulpwood by hand onto the truck. I drag a small stool around with me. I was told when I was in my 20’s I would be ate up with arthritis by the time I was 60, the doctor knew what he was talking about, I inherited it from my mother’s family. If I had known I was was going to inherit all of these things I would have been more careful about who my parents were! As for a garden, I am already having to water the few things I have planted, hadn’t had any rain to amount to anything in almost 3 weeks, some rain predicted for the weekend.
Add me to that list of guys who have grown so old that their capacity for physical work has diminished to near nothing. I have the back disc problems and arthritis and bad stenosis in the spinal canal. I, too, inherited arthritic tendencies from my mother’s side of the family. I, too, drag an aluminum folding chair around and do more ‘work’ sitting than standing these days. I can’t wash the car without stopping to rest. But, I’m nearing my 82nd birthday and give thanks for every day above ground.
Tipper, I know that Katie is concerned about sharing Ira with us in videos. That makes good sense and I would never question a mother’s judgment; but it would be great to see Ira in Granny’s lap with you and Katie on each side. Celebrating 4 generations is a good thing. Even if you don’t share the videos online, be sure you make plenty of them for family viewing.
Tipper you are so right when you said being outside does a body good and it also brings a good night’s sleep!
Tomorrow my “thrifting” friends and I are coming to Murphy and Hayesville to check out some places you told me about. Also to Brasstown Withrow pottery.
I’m glad everyone is home! God is good and faithful.
Glad Granny is home and you and your family can get back to a normal routine. I enjoy my flowers as well as growing vegetables. I planted petunias, pansies and a few other flowers in boxes two weeks ago and placed four on the deck rails and two on the rails on the front porch. I also have volunteer snapdragons of pink, yellow, red, and white growing up against the brick of the house out front. I think the seeds fell from the boxes over the years and/or the birds spread the seeds. I also have purple irises blooming and some of the fragrant peonies are open. The Knockout rose bushes are full of red roses. I have three hanging baskets of purple, red and pink petunias. the azaleas are full of pink and white blooms. I’m looking forward to seeing your flowers bloom.
I feel exactly the same way you do Tipper about gardening feeding my soul. Our space is very small so far, but we’re growing year by year as we get closer to retirement. Hopefully in the next 2 1/2 years. Hubby, Victor, has been making raised beds for us for the last several years and we really like that. I’ve always loved mixing flowers and veggies too . I’ve discovered feeding my soul is as important visually as well as my tastebuds being exhilarated. it makes my whole body smile.
Lots of prayers coming your way for you and your family and especially for Granny at this time.
God bless from the Tucker compound in East Tennessee.
PJ Tucker
Tipper, you were just glowing in last night’s video. It looked like the garden was healing your soul. When we can get in the garden and plant things to enjoy later, it just feels so rewarding.
Even though Granny is home, I’m still praying. I can’t wait to see her and here her. She sure is a special lady.
God bless ya’ll!!
I am so excited about Granny and bringing her home. I am sure God has plans for all of you and you will realize His plans without knowing them. I do wish I had you knack for growing flowers and I am trying. The 90 degree days are keeping me in bur that means I have to get busy earlier. Prayers for Granny and please tell Matt belated Happy Birthday. God Bless
I’m glad that Granny is home now and that you will be able to be outside. I’m looking forward to seeing all the beautiful flowers you planted.