The growing season nearly killed my inspiration and my blog this year, but alas it's time I turned the wheel and got back into gear.
Signs that hope is in sight:
1. Last year's Horizon catalogue was out on the table a few nights ago...I must be dreaming of spring!
2. I repotted my houseplants just so I could get my hands in some dirt.
3. I actually got my garlic in the ground this year on time. So satisfying!
At the end of summer my garden was looking to be a sad sight. The weeds were winning the space war, the slugs were making a comeback in the heat of summer...I didn't even know that was possible by the way...and the projects I had planned for this year's garden were not even a glimmer in the near future.
My peppers were skinny and small, my eggplants flowered but never grew fruit, and my squash were looking very malnourished. My tomatillo budded out into thousands of cute little starry flowers with fruits the size of grapes. In the end, it was my tomatoes that saved the day and made a beautiful comeback. I think it may have been those tomatoes that got me out into the garden this fall for the garlic planting. I needed some kind of motivational kick in the bum after all those let downs.
Herbally, there was much more sweet satisfaction to be had this year. After all, this is my attempt at being a vegetable gardener, but I cant say it is where my heart truly lies. The calendula was off the hook. I made more calendula oil then I know what to do with (although I am sure it will come in handy, it already has), dried some, and made a big ass tincture of it. Definitely my biggest success of the summer months...or I should say, thank you Calendula, she did all the work! Monarda and valerian grew more than I realized was possible in one season. I also made a lot of new herbal friends this year; boneset, grindelia, blue vervain, agrimony, chamomile, and hops. So, all was definitely not lost.
Since we did not get the fall garden in or even much of a cover crop, the work to get things going in spring will be much more than I want to face. We feasted on Jerusalem artichokes the same day we planted the garlic and that felt like a nice pat on the back from the plant spirits. They are looking out for us!
We are only weeks away from the Winter Solstice. Longer days and more light are only a stone's throw away and then there will be spring. This is our time to rest up and dream about the possibilities before the sun forces us out of our shells. Make the most of it!
