Life and gardening are metaphoric to each other. In both life and gardening we make plans, rearrange plans, think about what has happened in the past, and try to prepare for the unknown and possible loss; we put our blood, sweat, and tears into creating something to be proud of. Defending it from intruders that want to harvest our rewards or encroach on our space. Life and gardening need care and thought through processes, or it can get messy and out of control.
Gardening is my work out, my physical and mental therapy rolled into one messy dirt ball, and when it’s time to harvest I beam with pride.
Every year I start to plan out my garden in the winter. It’s a must during the colder months so I can order seeds and supplies ahead of time. It’s also a nice excuse to sit with my sister and mom and talk about what fared well and the goals for next season. Here is a picture of my 2018 DRAFT, which as you can see has already been scribbled on many times over. I also keep a print out of plant companionship and a nice clean piece of paper which will have my 2018 FINAL plots detailed. Today I finally got in my cabbage, onions, thyme, sage, and broccoli. I love trying new things (just like life) and broccoli is new-to-me.
Also something I have just started, and I can’t believe I waited this long, is to record what did and didn’t do well last season. I think this will give me a good reference for years to come. I need to get better at writing the varieties I plant. Did you know there are 200 varieties of potatoes?! It’s astonishing to know there are 3,000 varieties of heirloom tomatoes!
Melisa Peterson Lewis 
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