April’s Home and Garden, Then and Now
April’s Home and Garden, was originally hosted at squarespace.com and began on 7/10/07. It ran approximately until November of that year. Life circumstances at the time did not allow me to continue after that. Now that I have been able to rebuild it, I would like to repost my original first story, followed by an update. Ironically, it was titled From Start to Start.
April’s Home and Garden Then, From Start To Start:
Originally written 7/10/07
In the past few weeks I have started a lot of new things, A business, this blog, some art projects, and I’m really excited. If you were to see my house and garden these days, you’d probably be wondering why I’d write a blog about it. After twice preparing to sell our house and move, and twice having to put it on hold, the house and my gardens fell into some kind of weird chaotic limbo.
For now I’ll have to be content with memories of my front garden and porch filled with herbs and flowers, and all the big vegetable gardens that I grew over the years with as many tomatoes as I could want for fresh tomato salad or bruschetta. Oh, and my favorite year when I grew no less than 35 different herbs, including 8 varieties of basil, 5 of sage–well, you get the picture. Oh no!! I wish I remembered to take pictures, since this year I never got to start the garden!
April’s Home and Garden Now:
Well we finally got to sell the house and move. We made a big climate change from Pennsylvania to Florida. So I have a much longer gardening season. Our yard was a jungle and even after a year we are still clearing stuff away ! The house was almost literally being eaten by some really aggressive vines.
This year I have a garden! Not a big one but it’s a start. My Early Girl Tomatoes are setting fruit, and my Heirloom Pineapple tomatoes are full of flowers. I am especially proud of them this year since I started them from seed myself. I am keeping my fingers crossed, since I have had some problems with leafminers. I’m using diatomaceous earth to dust the plants with. (Not the kind used for pool filters), It is totally organic and nontoxic–just don’t inhale the dust. So far so good. I am also removing damaged leaves. I don’t have 35 herbs but I have several herbs, including lots of basil for when my tomatoes are ready; and this year, I’m taking pictures!
Congratulations on getting your garden re-established. I can so relate to moving and having to start over including ripping out a lot of over growth. We have been in the same process since moving here 2 years ago. Finally the permanent beds are going in even though we are still ripping out but at least we are making progress. I really envy your extended growing season too. You will really enjoy that! I’m looking forward to seeing pictures of your garden!