The ABC's of Gardening

 THE ALPHABET OF GARDENING

G -- Grow it Like You Want to Eat it.  Grow what YOU like to eat, grow pretty varieties that will encourage youngsters and non vegetable lovers to want to try.  
Suggestions:  Kale - Kale seeds can be purchased in pretty colors, orange, red, yellow...  These plants are extremely pretty and the taste is the same.  Carrots are another vegetable that come in many different sizes and colors, you can grow tiny round or short carrots, winter or summer carrots that are normal, they all have a great taste and add something special to your dishes, color.
Suggestions:  Kale - Kale seeds can be purchased in pretty colors, orange, red, yellow...  These plants are extremely pretty and the taste is the same.  Carrots are another vegetable that come in many different sizes and colors, you can grow tiny round or short carrots, winter or summer carrots that are normal, they all have a great taste and add something special to your dishes, color.  

A - Add flowers to your garden, edible ones, i.e., 

• Hibiscus (Non Ornamental) can also be eaten. 
• Lavender - While known for it's amazing scent, it is also edible and makes an amazing taste difference in pastry items such as cupcakes and other baked goods. 
• Pansy. ...  Known for it's massive growth in hanging baskets, and over winter blooms, this flower is a show stopper on top of cakes and baked goods. 
• Roses - beautiful in many colors and types, and the rose hips make great rose oil for the skin. 
• Sage Flower - Sage while normally used for medicinal purposes and in meat and bread dishes, the flower has a somewhat different taste flavor, and is especially good on and in breads.  
• Dandelions aka Weed Flower - These have a honey taste and make great tea and the greens are also edible. 
• Honey Suckle - If you haven't eaten honeysuckles on a warm evening when the sun has left them a bit warm, and their fragrance fills the air, then you have missed out on a childhood experience.  
• Nasturtium - Available in several colors, is probably my favorite flower to use with baked goods, when sugared and placed on cakes, it is the ultimate cake topper.  
  
  There are other flowers that are edible, these are the ones I am most familiar with.  Before you eat flowers, please make sure they have not been sprayed with insecticides, grow your own organically. 

R - Rich soil with compost and natural fertilizers is one of the key items to growing beautiful vegetables and fruits. 

D - Do make sure you try to grow things as organically as possible, plant cover crops to control weeds, and do a bit of maintenance every week so that your garden does not become a massive time stealer when it gets out of control.  You won't miss 15 minutes a day, but an entire day of weeding and cleaning isn't ideal when you let it go. 

E - Even gardens need TLC, fertilizer, water, good nutritious soil, compost, etc.  Evaluate your soil, your vegetables, like us, prefer certain optimal conditions to grow and live, too dry isn't great, too wet is really bad, not enough fertilizer or compost, ... evaluate and figure out what type of soil you have, sandy, clay, silty, etc.  Then you can amend it to provide your plants their ultimate growth environment.  Know your plants, lettuce likes cooler temperatures and bolts when it's too warm, spinach also, so if you want to grow in the summer you will need shade barriers in hot temps to keep the temp low enough so bolting does not occur.  

N - Never say I can't grow xxxx.  If you find the correct medium, the correct temp, the correct watering schedule and have the correct weather you can.  

I -- IMAGINE -- Imagine what you would like to have your garden look like.  Are you more interested in vegetables and fruits than flowers, or more interested in flowers?  You can do both, companion planting with flowers is easily done as long as you plant items together that need the same type of elements.  

N - Natural Gardening - Using plants and weeds to provide food for bees, birds, and other creatures that need them for survival.  Put a water source for small animals such as bees and birds, it doesn't have to be a pond, it can be a saucer with fresh water that is changed daily, or a pretty container turned into a bird bath.  While some birds can be a nuisance, remember that many of them eat the worms that eat our cabbages, lettuce, etc.  

G - Garden Journal - A garden journal gives you a chance to write down what you are growing, which variety, when you planted, etc., it can also help you grow items better when you see what grows well in your environment.  

What are you GARDENING highlights that you would list alphabetically?