# My happy place **URL:** \ **Category:** Fun\ **Tags:** garden\ **Created:** [May 28, 2022, 4:34pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-happy-place/12742 "2022-05-28T16:34:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mariethm](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/mariethm/32/11739_2.png) [@Mariethm](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Mariethm)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2022, 4:34pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-happy-place/12742/1 "2022-05-28T16:34:11Z")
My little garden. At 15’ × 7’, its not much, but we tend to over plant it. This year we’ve left some room so its not a jungle. As you can probably tell, I’m not a big fan of weeding. Unless plants die or seeds continue to refuse to sprout, we’re basically ready for summer… Feel free to post your garden pics! ![20220528_103421](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/fudiabetes/original/2X/2/2cc3d7010459564fcc08a7ff8fbefe96135354d2.jpeg) ![20220528_103412](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/fudiabetes/original/2X/1/18b89901afbef34020263d213e4877d1c4a7d8cb.jpeg) ![20220528_103337](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/fudiabetes/original/2X/7/7176f301140d15e25ac01d6e366147a7e6e302a9.jpeg) ![20220528_103325](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/fudiabetes/original/2X/8/870362d05228838c1a54e63aa08294cd9dd49d03.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![CatLady](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/catlady/32/36_2.png) [@CatLady](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/CatLady)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2022, 4:58pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-happy-place/12742/2 "2022-05-28T16:58:32Z")
Due to very cold weather this spring, we are pretty slow to get a garden going. I will post pics when things get going. BTW, Thor Hanson’s book, _The Triumph of Seeds_, is an excellent book for anybody who enjoys plants and gardens! ---
**Author:** ![John58](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/john58/32/147_2.png) [@John58](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/John58)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2022, 7:19pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-happy-place/12742/3 "2022-05-28T19:19:54Z")
![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/fudiabetes/original/2X/2/27a66726a2e352fc9dd58d40ec9a55ee1ec56b97.jpeg) As the years passed I’ve gone to a low maintenance garden. Perennial strawberries and rhubarb, lots of carrots, and the rest in flowers. This year lots of sunflowers and sweet peas. I have had more seeds that decided not to sprout this year than usual. ---
**Author:** ![Mariethm](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/mariethm/32/11739_2.png) [@Mariethm](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Mariethm)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2022, 10:12pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-happy-place/12742/4 "2022-05-28T22:12:54Z")
Your garden looks so nice! We always make the mistake of planting a ton of seeds indoors around March, (extras for family/friends) and usually have way too many left over. I think we had 4 zucchini planted last year, when they were not picked up. We’re trying to have a small perennial patch of herbs. Hubby does not like the wild, reseeded look, so I’m constantly protecting the tomatoes and beans that pop up around this time. The borage has started popping up in our root veg patch, but I’ll probably end up leaving most of that. ---
**Author:** ![Jan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/jan/32/7539_2.png) [@Jan](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Jan)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2022, 11:29pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-happy-place/12742/5 "2022-05-28T23:29:50Z")
![Screenshot_20220528-172558](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/fudiabetes/original/2X/4/4026adbad459090dd5ba0cf252e70bb970769ad1.jpeg) This is not mine, but my sister’s garden in Raphine, VA. She and her husband own and operate Wade’s Mill, a historic, working grist mill. She has a wonderful green thumb! ---
**Author:** ![Mariethm](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/mariethm/32/11739_2.png) [@Mariethm](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Mariethm)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2022, 12:09am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-happy-place/12742/6 "2022-05-29T00:09:19Z")
Wow! Super happy plants! ---
**Author:** ![Mariethm](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/mariethm/32/11739_2.png) [@Mariethm](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Mariethm)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2022, 12:16am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-happy-place/12742/7 "2022-05-29T00:16:06Z")
@CatLady We thought our spring was going to be colder than usual, according to the Farmers Almanac. But its actually normalish here. No May snow storms either. Our (hopefully giant, but who knows what seeds my niece planted) sunflower is already close to a foot tall, and very happy to be out in the sun. ---
**Author:** ![T1Allison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c77e96/32.png) [@T1Allison](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/T1Allison)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2022, 9:41pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-happy-place/12742/8 "2022-06-04T21:41:11Z")
![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/fudiabetes/original/2X/0/00c09429d69e5e665ac54be391867749994cc1f5.jpeg) My 8 year old’s plants. I went out and found plant stands to try to reclaim my deck space for reading! He must be trying to get us towards carbon neutrality with all of the upcycled containers and new seeds being planted on a daily basis! 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Mariethm](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/mariethm/32/11739_2.png) [@Mariethm](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Mariethm)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2022, 5:54pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-happy-place/12742/9 "2022-06-09T17:54:25Z")
@T1Allison He’s put together quite an impressive array of plants! I love it when kids discover gardening, especially if they have parents who encourage it. (Hopefully you won’t have your reading spot converted in to a full blown garden that is now your new project! 😄) ---
**Author:** ![T1Allison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c77e96/32.png) [@T1Allison](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/T1Allison)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2022, 11:46pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-happy-place/12742/10 "2022-06-09T23:46:09Z")
I have definitely become Master Waterer to keep these things alive! ---
**Author:** ![Mariethm](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/mariethm/32/11739_2.png) [@Mariethm](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Mariethm)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2022, 2:35pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-happy-place/12742/11 "2022-06-30T14:35:44Z")
First harvest! (Besides the weekly basil extravaganza) We’ll be eating healthy tonight… ![20220630_102915](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/fudiabetes/original/2X/f/ff49c9a689f8698e4b0551b4244880e0ddc6b46c.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![T1Allison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c77e96/32.png) [@T1Allison](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/T1Allison)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2022, 6:48pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-happy-place/12742/12 "2022-06-30T18:48:16Z")
That looks amazing!! I’m super impressed!! ---
**Author:** ![T1Allison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c77e96/32.png) [@T1Allison](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/T1Allison)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2022, 8:04pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-happy-place/12742/13 "2022-06-30T20:04:18Z")
Try not to be jealous…but this is how my pandemic garden tomatoes turned out in 2020…I believe they must have been a Benjamin Button variety…and as hard as it is to imagine, this was my result with absolutely no prior gardening experience… …wait for it… Boom. ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/fudiabetes/original/2X/f/fffc3713e7e05b9996d93db2df2da094e18dac3c.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Mariethm](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/mariethm/32/11739_2.png) [@Mariethm](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Mariethm)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2022, 8:29pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-happy-place/12742/14 "2022-06-30T20:29:33Z")
Wow. Just…wow. I’m actually jealous of how incredibly spooky that “tomato” is. And surprised that your kid wants to grow anything at all after that! ☠🍅 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![T1Allison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c77e96/32.png) [@T1Allison](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/T1Allison)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2022, 11:30pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-happy-place/12742/15 "2022-06-30T23:30:38Z")
My green peppers all developed mouth cancer and I got to the bottom of it…smoking on the sly. Vegetables these days. (I was clearly very bored during the shutdown.) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/fudiabetes/original/2X/f/f8919658c22e79b9d5bf6a95119a5e6fce3a4993.jpeg) I’m guessing my soil quality is terrible. Or the land is cursed. 🤷‍♀️ ---
**Author:** ![T1Allison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c77e96/32.png) [@T1Allison](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/T1Allison)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2022, 1:10am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-happy-place/12742/16 "2022-07-01T01:10:08Z")
@Mariethm, do you test your soil annually? Or do you have other tricks for getting legit vegetables and not cursed ones? ---
**Author:** ![Mariethm](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/mariethm/32/11739_2.png) [@Mariethm](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Mariethm)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2022, 11:17am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-happy-place/12742/17 "2022-07-01T11:17:47Z")
@T1Allison The first year, our garden was pretty sad. The person who had the plot before us really neglected the soil, and we had assumed that it was good. Also, everyone was pandemic gardening, so organic compost and soil was impossible to find. It was basically clay, the poor roots couldn’t access the nutrients or water they needed. (I’m pretty sure I was often comparing them to diabetics. Also pretty sure my hubby did not find it amusing!) So, over the lonely winter, we planted winter rye to break up the soil, and infuse it with nitrogen. Added everything that I could think of to give it some life. Then had it tested to make sure I wasn’t doing more harm. They told me to stop adding stuff, the nutrient levels were good. We added a 50 lb bag of coarse sand last fall, to break it up more. It still needs more. I’m pretty sure the person who had it before us added fine sand in an attempt to fix it. But that’s how you make clay. So, now I’m done micromanaging it. Finally. It just needed a good base. (Ooh, the allegories) A little bit of manure goes a long way, once the soil is healthy again. We do feed the plants continuously through the summer, a mix of fish fertilizer on the bottom, and ground seaweed foliar spray. (These I buy, hubby was anti me collecting seaweed and drying it on the balcony) As for the cursed land, you might want to see a shaman about that. Or just embrace it, and have some awesome DIY Halloween decorations! ---
**Author:** ![Mariethm](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/mariethm/32/11739_2.png) [@Mariethm](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Mariethm)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2022, 1:09pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-happy-place/12742/18 "2022-07-01T13:09:45Z")
@T1Allison This is an easy soil fixer. Home Depot and Amazon generally carry it, in various sizes. ![20220701_090743](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/fudiabetes/original/2X/d/d16fbb22deac275f6230237d31a953406effea1e.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![T1Allison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c77e96/32.png) [@T1Allison](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/T1Allison)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2022, 2:24pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-happy-place/12742/19 "2022-07-01T14:24:47Z")
@Mariethm, you are so impressive! I love that you know how to do all of these things and the. You actually know how to cook these foods in a way that makes! These are growth areas for me to explore! And your sense of humor is right up my alley! Love it!! ---
**Author:** ![Mariethm](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forum.fudiabetes.org/mariethm/32/11739_2.png) [@Mariethm](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Mariethm)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 3:43pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-happy-place/12742/20 "2022-07-06T15:43:26Z")
![20220706_085340](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/fudiabetes/original/2X/f/ff13a45f58ec5bd56b01fa9da5feab496a75e213.jpeg) Bumblebee butt in the borage! [Next page](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/my-happy-place/12742.md?page=2)