A big year of little changes in 2025

  If you have read any of my previous New Year's posts, you know that I don't make New Year's Resolutions anymore because, for me, THEY DON'T WORK. I rely on what I call my New Year's plan. In the past, I have tended to make big plans and commitments. But all too quickly, even these begin to seem difficult to keep up with. Nothing feels more like failing than trying something for 3 days in a row only to decide it's way too much. This year, I'm all about making lots of little... Continue reading

Shrimp peel dust – gift from the sea

  Folks pay good money for fish emulsion fertilizers. Myself included and for good reason. Plants thrive on it. Yet here I stand at the kitchen sink, preparing to throw my stinky shrimp boil garbage away, and then buy someone else’s. As I am cheap, this kinda makes me go hmmmmm. Shrimp peels and heads contain calcium, Nitrogen, Potassium, and Phosphorus, all of which are a dream come true for your garden fare. I haven't tended to compost anything except what my mom used to call... Continue reading

The Herb Spiral – Tips and tricks from a new user!

On the heels of completing the initial sheet mulching steps of The kitchen Garden (formerly known as The Secret Garden), we began our herb spiral. The process is similar in that materials are layered to magically build soil. We began by placing rocks, all resourced from our property, in a spiral formation, and stacked them upwards as we went round. We filled the bottom with sticks and topped them with good old wheat straw. Tip # 1 - Reuse garden waste! Melvin tops the... Continue reading

What’s Next for the Secret Garden

I began this series with the first post on March 1st. In case anyone reading this article has been living in a cave or is just out of a coma, COVID-19 has thrown a wrench in just about everyone's works. I had intended to post regular updates on the progress of the Secret Garden, but I have been busy... well, gardening. Soil has been the only balm for the anxiety, remorse, and frustration of dealing with the fallout of a pandemic. I am so fortunate to still have my job and a nice place to... Continue reading