Gardening

Spring is my favorite season. I can't wait for flowers to start popping up out of the ground and to get out in the garden and get my hands dirty planting vegetables. I love seeing the grass and the trees turn green and the brown tones of Winter disappear. 

This Spring has been a crazy cold one here in Kentucky. We had a few days of warm sunny weather, which told the flower bulbs and trees "hey, Spring is here!", then it got cold again. We had snow on my birthday, April 1, which has happened before, but not very often. Then, we had snow and sleet on April 9th - crazy! 

My daughter is getting married at the end of May. Last fall we planted 100 late-blooming tulip bulbs in hopes that they would be blooming and beautiful for the wedding. That did not happen. They are beautiful right now, thanks to our crazy weather. 

Contrary to what a lot of people think, you don't have to have a lot of land to grow a garden. Many things can even be grown in pots on the patio. So what are some things you can plant in Central Kentucky that will grow well and provide you with some fresh food? Lexington is in Zone 6b. That will help you know what things grow well here and when to plant them.  This link is great guide to planting flowers and vegetables in Kentucky. 

I grew up on a farm with a very large garden. Now, I have a small garden that I grow green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, peppers and lots of herbs. Those are the things that I have found do the best in our weather. Each year I like to try to grow a few different things and see how they do. Lettuce does well if you plant it early, while it's still cool, along with spinach and kale. I've grown watermelon and potatoes and cantaloupe. They do okay, but have not been super robust for me. Tomatoes and peppers will grow well in pots or in the ground. Cucumbers and zucchini are pretty resilient and do well in the ground. Even if you just plant some basil and oregano and rosemary, you will love the fresh taste it gives your food. One of my greatest accomplishments was last year when I made marinara sauce using everything from my garden: tomatoes, onion, garlic and herbs. It tasted amazing and I knew what I was eating was grown with love and no pesticides. 

I planted blueberries three years ago. You aren't supposed to harvest the berries until the third year. I can't wait to taste them this year! I also planted elderberries a couple of years ago and can't wait to see if I get fresh berries this year to make elderberry syrup. Rhubarb is another plant that does great in Kentucky and it comes back every year. Gardening can be a lot of work, but it is also rewarding when you take your first bite of a fresh tomato off the vine or a crisp cucumber. Although Spring is my favorite, I love Summer and Fall when the fruits of my labor are ready to harvest and enjoy. Let me know if you have any questions about planting flowers or vegetables or fruits in Kentucky. What is your favorite thing to grow or what is something you would like to try to grow?