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Nose for News by Sarah Stultz

It may be summer, but I have a song stuck in my head from the holiday season: “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”

If you know me, you know I love spring, and I love getting back out into my garden.

In fact, by the time many of you will be reading this, I have taken the day off to get my garden planted — and that’s exactly where I’ll be. I just can’t wait.

I decided to change things up a little to see if I can get away from some pests at my old garden spot and am splitting up my efforts between two different community garden sites this year.

Fingers crossed I will find success — and if I don’t, that I can at least figure out a remedy.

At one site there will be tomatoes, green peppers, jalapeños, broccoli, cabbage, green beans and carrots, and at the other site, I am planning on zucchini, spaghetti squash and pumpkins.

I recognize there will be deer at both sites, so any advice on that front is welcome.

Last year was by far my worst garden to date, and I am saying out loud that this year is going to be different.

I’ve heard before that if you manifest your goals out loud, that helps make them more real and then you’re more likely to achieve them.

So I, therefore, say out loud to all of you that I am going to stay on top of my weeds this year.

I’m always good about them at first, but when the dog days of summer hit — and even sometimes before that — it gets to be so hot and it discourages me from being there for long periods of time.

Last year, we had tremendous rains early on in the gardening season. It was so wet that I couldn’t get in there right away, and then with the busyness of life, by the time I got back in there, it had become a weed pit, and I couldn’t keep up with it from that point on — even after I recruited the help of two missionaries from my church.
I will not let it get that way this year.

To keep me accountable, feel free to stop by and see me if you see me out at the Brookside or Spark community gardens.

I have high hopes and can’t wait to have these fresh vegetables again at my fingertips.

Happy gardening!

Sarah Stultz is the managing editor of the Tribune. Her column appears every Wednesday.