God Watered for me Last Night-Garden Update

I spend most mornings on my back porch enjoying the coolness of the day. The neighborhood dogs haven’t been put out yet to bark incessantly at me, the squirrels or anything else they deem bark-worthy. All is quiet, save the birds singing in the new day. I talk to God, watch the kittens attack bugs and peer out at my garden.

This morning, I awoke to a spectacular sight.

While I was sleeping, God watered the garden for me.

Everything was touched with a bit of dew and when the sunlight hit it, the leaves sparkled. The hues were deeper, the green of the garden appeared healthy and vibrant.

I did nothing to make this little guy struggle from beneath the earth, other than plant the seed. But, here he is reaching up for his morning drink.

It’s weird to say, but I felt a bit of homesickness for heaven. This was how it was intended to be, I think. In a small way, I was experiencing my Garden of Eden.

I think that’s why I like gardening-it’s so biblical. I plant the seed, offer water when needed, protect it from naughty bunny enemies and then…I hope.

I hope that all of my efforts will bring the harvest. I hope there’s enough to freeze, can, dehydrate and share.

But other than my hope in God’s growing system, there’s nothing more that I can do. I could wish for it, demand it, curse about it when something dies or turns brown, but in the end, it’s up to God to make each plant grow and produce.

And he does it for me and my tiny little garden every single time. Even though I don’t deserve it, he still blesses me with a harvest.

It’s a reminder that if I put in the work in my garden or in people’s lives, he’ll take care of the harvest.
What a relief. God’s much better at it by far than I am.

Garden Critter Deterrent-Bunnies in particular

My garden is well underway. Weeks of planning, preparation and coddling have brought me to this point. My vegetables are in the beautiful black earth, soaking up the nutrients from my composter. The gathered rainwater is providing the moisture and my song is providing the incentive to grow.

However, there is a devil afoot.

Sure, he looks cute. Sure, he’s furry. Sure, I even talked about how wonderful it was to have a bunny in my backyard.

But did you know that bunnies also like to eat my plants-the ones that I’ve toiled over, loved on and kept safe from hail storms? Bunnies love to nibble-and I will admit, they look pretty darn cute doing so-but they are destroying my garden. Something must be done!

Enter Garlic Salt and Chili Pepper in mass quantities. Bunnies do not like sniffing these two substances. In fact, they tell the other bunnies to stay far away.

I sprinkle a little of each around the base of my plants and around the perimeter of my garden.

As the bunny checks the wind for potential vegetable and leafy prey, the garlic and chili pepper reach their delicate noses and they take off for greener, less spicy pastures.

I reapply the spices after a heavy rain.

I don’t mind sharing. But after three destroyed pepper plants attributed to this very cute little bunny, I chose to go the humane route and spice it up.

Let’s not talk about the alternative offered by Biceps.

DIY Ant Deterrent

There are ants in my garden! Who invited them?

I’m trying to keep my garden as free from weed and bug killers as possible. These chemicals rob the soil of vital nutrients, making my job harder when it’s time to plant.

But, I still don’t want these guys around, either. They are pretty pompous and arrogant, in my opinion. They need to go.

And I have just the solution!

Here’s all that you need to make your very own Homemade Ant Deterrent:
Spray Bottle
Water
Mild Dish Soap

Fill the spray bottle with water. Add 4-5 drops of the mild dish soap and shake vigorously.

Spray the solution on the plant-wherever the offenders are and watch them slip and slide all the way to the ground. I usually do this either in the early morning or right before the sun goes down, to avoid scorching the leaves. After a heavy rain, you might need to re-apply the DIY Ant Deterrent solution.
This won’t harm your plant, but let’s see what it does to our ant friends….

I bid thee farewell, small ant. And take your brothers with you.

Heirloom Seeds & Sweet Readers

I love you, my dear readers.

I know that others may say that-but I mean it so dang much. I wouldn’t continue blogging if I didn’t love each one of you-even the weird ones (actually, the weirdos tend to be my favorites-Gwen at the Bold Abode, you know I’m referring to you).

I know others make money at blogging, but the windfall of $15ish dollars that I make from my few advertisements every other month really doesn’t do much for me. True, it buys me a few Starbucks cups of coffees and that’s nothing to ignore…

The reason I blog is that I love to create and share with others that appreciate what I do. I eat up your sweet comments and your encouragement over my projects. In fact, I have one lovely reader that has been so supportive and comments on my blog so often that I feel like we are old friends-her name is Janice.

She was kind enough to send me snail mail after she read my Garden & Landscaping Preparations post, where I highlighted my favorite seed catalogue-“Gurney’s”.

We are in the same climate zone and she was interested in expanding my seed loving horizons beyond Gurney’s. Janice sent me this catalogue from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. (I, nor is Janice, getting a kickback from this catalogue. I just wanted to share with you something that I love.)

Immediately, I found a new obsession within the beautifully photographed pages of the catalogue. Any company that sells purple cauliflower has the part of my heart reserved for all things “garden”.

All of the seeds from Baker Creek are heirloom, non GMO seeds. And the varieties they offer of each plant is breathtaking.

I have never seen a white or orange watermelon in my life.

And not only did she send me this wonderful new catalogue that I can’t put down, she also sent me a variety of heirloom seeds for both my vegetable garden and my flower bed.

I had to look up most of the seeds, being unfamiliar with most them. I can’t wait to get out in the dirt and start planting my fancy new seeds. This gardening year is going to be spectacular!

Thank you, Janice, for blessing me with such a unique and wonderful gift. I am excited to get planting!