It’s the most wonderful time of the year — gardening season! I know I write mostly about cooking and baking, but, this is the time of year that my love of sharing food is equal to sharing my love of growing veggies.
“Gardeners know all the dirt.” – Unknown
A lot of you must be doing the same thing this year because I found it difficult to get some of the regular supplies. Mind you, I’m not complaining at all. I think it’s great that more and more people are getting into growing their own food. Garden to table is the best feeling. Plus, there’s nothing tastier that the fruits of your labour.
I still remember the first time biting into a tomato I grew. I was astounded by the burst of flavour. It was like firecrackers exploding. If you grow tomatoes you know exactly what I mean.
Gardening is twofold. It’s the happy place where you can get lost for hours upon hours and not notice time passing by. I don’t know what it is about getting your hands dirty preparing the soil, beds, planters and starting the seedlings. I think it’s the super calming effect. It’s meditative.
“We might think that we are nurturing our garden, but of course it is our garden that is really nurturing us.” – Jenny Uglow
Before I go any further, I will say that I’m not a master gardening in any way. It’s a hobby and passion I want to share like writing about food. I’m going to cover a few things here today that I find helpful. First, prepping the soil with a tasty treat from the ocean — seaweed.
“The smell of freshly dug soil is perfume to a gardener.” – Unknown
It might not smell like perfume after applying seaweed, sorry neighbours. I have just enough seaweed thanks to my 91-year-old grandad and aunt. They went for a drive up the southern shore and loaded up their car. I typically add seaweed twice a year in the fall and spring. Seaweed provides a bunch of yummy nutrients, similar to tree leaves. Think of it as treating your soil to a five-star restaurant meal. It will thank you later.
The second is coffee grounds.
Instead of throwing out my coffee grounds after using them, I store them in a tub for later use on the garden. You have to make sure they’re cooled first of course. Coffee grounds are also filled with good nutrients and can be used as a slow-release fertilizer. However, don’t use too much, a little sprinkle will do. Bonus, they are also great on hosta plants and inside your compost.
Last but not least, eggshells.
My hubby just loves all the little bags of eggshells that just happen to appear in the garage or freezer throughout the year. Loves it, he does!
I collect eggshells all year long because I use them a lot in my garden during the season. I bake them at 375 for about 20-25 minutes to dry them out. It dries up the gunk inside the shell and makes it easier to break-up. I know they take a while to breakdown in the soil but the main purpose for me is to ward away those darn pesky slugs. Man oh man, they love my garden. I keep the garden chemical free, so whatever I can use to keep those suckers out — I’m in. I put them at the base of veggies and use it as a border around the bed.
Some may say it is a little too late in the year to start your seeds. However, who is to say you can’t start them for your indoor garden. If you’re interested in sowing seeds check out, “Let the gardening commence” from last year. https://www.thetelegram.com/lifestyles/erin-sulley-let-the-gardening-commence-305963/ Hopefully you’ll find some helpful tips.
“Gardening requires lots of water, most of it in the form of precipitation.” – Lou Erickson
Prepping your garden and growing your own veggies can certainly be labour intensive, depending on the amount you grow.
But it’s fun, relaxing, peaceful and most of all rewarding when it comes time to harvest. What you grow will definitely be fit to eat. You just have to have patience. Happy growing foodie friends.
Erin Sulley is a self-confessed foodie who lives in Mount Pearl. Email [email protected] Twitter: @ErinSulley Instagram: @erinsulley
