It’s early spring and I’m itching to get outside and play in the dirt. I have a cherished sign given to me by a friend that says, “dirt therapy.” For me, there’s no better prescription for chasing away the blues than digging in the moist, rain-drenched spring soil. I am assured that all my hard work amending the soil in the fall has paid off. The bumper crop of earthworms right below the mulched surface greets me as I dig in to divide and transplant my perennials.
My current favorite vegetable to grow through the winter months is broccoli. I did not grow up with it in Lebanon, and did not care for it in the U.S., but I have flipped my negative vote to a resounding yes since I’ve started growing it myself! Not only is it easy to grow, but broccoli is an extraordinary green substitute in a salad.
As Simon and Garfunkel commemorate in their top hit seventies song, herbs are a loving, essential ingredient in life.
Flowers are perfumed words. They send out messages spanning the emotional spectrum. For centuries, flowers have been gifted with the express intent to relay specific sentiments. This poetry of blooms is especially used during February, the month of love.
You would think that the winter months are not the occasion for yard work. That is mostly true except for pruning your shrubs and trees.
How grungy, muddy, and rusty are your garden tools? Do you leave them out in the elements? Are the cutting ones not so sharp anymore? The winter months are the ideal time to take stock of your tools.