Posts: 144
5/3/11 5:11 P

Hello to all!! I have been a gardener since I was old enough to weed my mother's garden. It used to be a form of punishment for unruly farm kids. I spent way too much time weeding but instead of growing to hate it --I still love it! I dabble with organic methods of weed and pest control. I have decided that this is the year to commit to all organic methods. I am looking forward to learning a lot!

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SparkPoints: (58,176)
Fitness Minutes: (17,905)
Posts: 2,986
3/27/11 4:42 P

I'm new to this team...but i've been here on Sparks one year...I love gardening..i have some
fruit trees...apart from flowers i have a herb garden which i enjoy...and its a great joy to watch
things emerge from a tiny seed...The wonder of Nature its fun...and it saves me money in the Herb dept!!!

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Posts: 4
3/24/11 3:24 P

Your blue merle reminds me of my beloved "Tripper" who was a blue merle border collie although the vet always swore he had a bit of St Bernard in him - he was a BIG border collie at 95 "lean" pounds and the best dog I ever had. Gorgeous too, I was always being stopped by people wanting to know what kind of dog I had. I still miss him and he's been gone 6 years now. I had Tripper and Cody, a sweet chocolate lab who died before Tripper. Dogs just don't have a long enough lifespan. I am left only with the "top dog" I brought home 12 years ago, a little indoor cat named Mia that I brought home from the animal shelter. Tripper I got from a local farmer, Cody was a stray who happened upon us and when we could see she'd been abused, took her in and didn't try to find the owner. No more pets now though until we move to Santa Fe as this house doesn't have a fenced yard. I have rarely been "dogless" but Mia thinks she's a dog since she grew up with 2 of them and so that helps a little.

Posts: 4
3/24/11 3:17 P

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome. I just ordered some more seeds and plants for this year's garden, so now I'm REALLY ready to get started even though it's still a ways off before I can do anything. It's only 34 degrees here today. Winter has gone retrograde on us.

I have a great light set up and periodically start my own seeds indoors. However, we have access to so many small farm stands who sell started plants here, it's really not cost effective, it just gets my hands into the dirt faster. Most of everything I plant can be direct sowed on Memorial day; it's just the tomatoes and peppers I buy plants of...well...I'll admit, I seem to find lots of "new" things to try and tons of flowers for the pots that I end up buying come late spring. It's like going to the library or bookstore - hard to pass up all the great new titles!.

SparkPoints: (56,893)
Fitness Minutes: (40,683)
Posts: 2,905
3/24/11 1:41 P

Hi Nanci! Welcome to the team and like the others I am a newbie and very happy to have a veteran!

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Posts: 25,786
3/24/11 11:06 A

Hi Nanci, welcome to the team.
It's about time to get our hands dirty. Woo Hoo!

SparkPoints: (4,227)
Fitness Minutes: (2,308)
Posts: 143
3/24/11 10:14 A

Welcome to the group! As a newbie to organic gardening, I'm excited to see another veteran joining the group....(more advice for me!). Also, just glad you're here!

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3/24/11 9:31 A

Hi, My name is Nanci. I've been gardening organically now for almost 40 years! I've gardened on apartment balconies in pots, in small townhome gardens, in huge small farm gardens, and currently have a beautiful garden my partner Jon had put into our suburban backyard. I've gardened in southern California, Wisconsin and Michigan (where I currently live). We plan to retire to Santa Fe New Mexico in 5 years so I'll have to reacquaint myself with arid gardening practices again once we move.

I love putting my hands in the dirt and find nothing more pleasurable than cooking from the garden. I feed the birds who in turn help keep my garden bug free. I do use organic sprays, kaolin clay has been a great help in my garden. But for the most part, I've never really needed pesticides. I do have to fence in against bunnies in this neighborhood. I'll post a picture on my home page of my garden.

I also find my grocery bill goes way down during the summer months when we're eating a lot from the garden. Of course I haven't figured in the cost of what it cost me to buy the plants and seeds, but I know that I'm still saving a significant amount of money.

I'm happy to join this group. I hope to learn from everyone. I'd really like to work on doing what's needed to extend my growing season like using cold frames in the early spring and row covers in the fall. I've read about it but have never done it. Now that spring is here (although you wouldn't know it from the weather we're having right in in southeast Michigan) I'm itching to get my hands into the dirt!