Yes, this is my garden journal for the Garden of Weedin for January, 2010. But, it is much more than simply a planting journal or gardening record. For the Hillbilly Gardener, it is a gardener resource, to use to help in planning my garden, track my low budget gardening efforts, help me keep track of what worked and what did not. This is a garden history journal to remind the Hillbilly Gardener of the many things he saw, experienced and enjoyed in his Ozarks plateau world. It is a gardener resource to be a help planning a garden and as a reminder of all of the good reasons why the Hillbilly Gardener loves his Garden of Weedin and as a tool to help me remember that everything does not always go well. In fact, sometimes in the Garden of Weedin, some things are a downright disaster. My garden journal helps me to avoid experiencing the same disaster more than once. This IS the garden history journal of the Garden of Weedin and the Hillbilly Gardener here on the Ozarks plateau of Missouri. Perhaps my efforts here will help inspire you or help you to avoid some of my mistakes. If this can be accomplished then this garden history journal will have been successful and the Hillbilly Gardener will be happy.

the "Hillbilly Gardener"

January 2010 - What a month this January. The month of January has been a roller coaster weather-wise, but overall cold. Quite unusual in light of the past several January's. We've experienced temperatures down to near zero for days on end and more snow than we've had in years. Nearly every week brought some form of snow from flurries to heavy snows. Now I know that for many folks, this is a part of normal January weather, but here, January's have been very mild for the past several years. Somewhat "normal" winters have largely been relegated to a thing of memory for folks to say "I remember back in". At least until this year.

On the subject of the garden, the Daffodils and Autumn Crocus have already sprouted here. This is not normal. Extreme cold spells followed by extremely warm spells have their internal clocks totally screwed up. But thankfully they are able to tolerate the cold. Even though the buds have already formed, if it will stay cold, they should not be adversely effected.

The garden catalogs started arriving in December and there has been a steady stream of them ever since. These are a blessing hen you've been cooped up indoors. But this is also a bad thing because I see so many more things that I want to plant than I have room for or can care for. So, I will scale back my enthusiasm to a reasonable level and get a realistic order off to several nursery's. Hopefully, this year I won't order so much more than I can plant as I done in years past.

Every year, I start out with big ideas and plans that are not very realistic in light of the amount of time and space I have. I think this is a problem most gardeners face. This year, I'm coming to the full realization that I simply can not longer do what I once did and I have no choice but to adjust my efforts and expectations. In taking into consideration the things in my life that now prevent me from grand-gardening efforts,

I've made a conscious decision this year to pretty much forego the traditional garden with a lot of different crops and instead turn my new raised beds into herb beds for the most part. There will still be some of our favorite vegetables such as tomatoes, but these will be pretty much relegated to what I can grow in containers. I simple am no longer physically able to do what I once did. But, I will always have gardener soil in my blood so I will always have my hands in the dirt one way or another.

This winter, I tried to get back to artificial light gardening and set up several lights in my basement. But, regardless of my intentions, I am coming to the realization that between the stairs and the cold in the basement, this too is just not working out. I think that I would be wise to consider addressing some other issues before I try to get very involved in this. Under the current conditions, the tender plants I do have down there would be better off if they were given away to someone who will take care of them. I do have a great potential in basement for this effort, but there are a few issues that must be addressed before this can become a reality. It's not as simple as adding some heat down there.

I have found this winter so far, that I simply do not have any tolerance for cold anymore. Therefore, there are a great many things that did not get done last fall outside that I normally would have done and this causes me great concern. At this point, I am hopeful that I will adjust and bounce back in one way or another. Betty White was right when she said "Old age isn't for sissy's". But, I'm much to young to be darn old. But, I must admit that it has been nice this year to take a break away from the outdoor chores for a little while this winter. But, I'm ready to get back to doing something.

the "Hillbilly Gardener"

Back To The Top