My Mother’s Green Thumb: The Beauty of Having a Garden

“Gardening adds years to your life, and life to your years.” — Author unknown

“We may think we are nurturing our garden. But of course, it’s our garden, that is really nurturing us.” — Jenny Uglow

The joy we find outdoors

My mother grew up on a farm.

Her father, my grandfather was a rice farmer. Besides rice, there were cows, sheep, pigs, chickens, ducks, a pond, and always a kitchen garden.

Whenever he stayed on his ranch several miles away from home, he planted something there and he always fished.

My mother, his third child learned from the best. That woman can plant anything, and it will grow.

She learned how to make manure, how to place grass at the roots to keep the plants cool and taught me that transplanting the young ones is best done in the evening time.

Each year she gardens, (I help), she puts the seeds in the ground and does the first month of care. After that, I take over because I feel such joy watering them and watching them grow.

I am always the first one to see the tiny fruits or vegetables, it is my gift. Plus, I love reaping from our very own garden. I watch over those plants with the anxious care of a brand-new mother.

I find it such a joy.

The colors of the red and yellow Swiss chard add a lovely color to the greens. We do not allow them to get too old before we harvest.

Because of the care, they are receiving, the leaves have been getting huge, but they are not fibrous and bitter but young, tender, and delicious.

Benefits for you

According to Medicalnewstoday.com, Swiss chard is a leafy green member of the beet family. It contains 3 times the recommended daily intake of vitamin K and 44 percent of the recommended amount of vitamin A.

This vegetable can help to combat cancer, reduce blood pressure, and enhance performance in sports.

When harvested fresh is so delicious with its crisp texture. And its ultimate versatility is that Swiss chard can be eaten raw or cooked.

Tried out some onions

This year for the first time she planted some onions and decided to pull one to check on size and the pic below is what she pulled up.

This one is beautiful and well-formed; with some more time, I believe the onions will grow much larger.

Last summer we created those raised beds and we have taken the habit to add seafood and other food scraps to the soil.

I built a small worm farm, though I am afraid of worms, and we fed them scraps. I could see their activity and we were even able to use some of their castings in the garden.

I dug a decent-sized hole in the yard and lined it with heavy-duty garbage bags. It was my training ground and once the weather turned cold, I turned them loose in the soil.

This year I don’t have as much time to keep up with that, so hopefully, they are alive and well in the soil.

The lemon tree

The above lemon tree began its life last summer from a seed. Once winter arrived, we took it indoors. We were unsure if it would live, but lo and behold, it stood the test of time.

Back outdoors this year, it is thriving.

Takeaways

Nature is a generous giver.

Always there for us. We need to wake up and care for her so that she can continue to love and not rebel against us.

If you desire a better life, get out there and feel the soil between your fingers and toes.

Spend some time in the fresh air, absorb some vitamin D, watch something grow, and bask in the beauty of the best creator there is.

Imagine the absolute pride and satisfaction you feel as you walk to your garden and harvest your very own crops — makes you want to puff your chest out like the man in the “Emperor’s New Clothes”.

Walk barefoot and feel the soft grass between your toes. It helps to alleviate pains and improve your mood.

Reap the physical benefits of barefoot walking, see an article I wrote below-

“The glory of gardening — Hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature.” — Author Unknown

Not many things are as beneficial for us.

Be adventurous, get out there, and enjoy nature.

Pene Hodge is a mom, a nurse, and a writer. She writes because she must. She loves people and is committed to sharing and gleaning knowledge for the betterment of all.