My Work is Almost Done! (for now)

I am new at blogging, so bare with me as I take on this exciting new hobby...I hope to be able to share my adventures and learn from others with the same interests.

As a new vegetable gardener here in Arizona, I feel blessed by the opportunity to garden year-round. My wish is to make the most out of my yard space without venturing into something I will later regret. I am fortunate to have sufficient space for the garden I am trying to create, my own little garden heaven and enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of my labor.

By finding resources on the net, reading other blogs and various local garden books, I found out how easy it was to get caught up in so much work. I sometimes questioned my ability to grow my own food, when to plant, choosing proper soil, when to fertilize, companion planting, arid conditions and so on.
Planting here is different than back home in Quebec, where outdoor gardening is limited to only a few months. Having the opportunity to learn how to grow and harvest various vegetables for a longer growing season seemed like quite the challenge but very intriguing!
I needed to pace myself in order to plan properly. But I also didn't want to forget that doing so should be an enjoyable experience!

I realize that most of this work is really about the construction of the garden itself. It requires detailed planning, preparation, and physical labor. I chose to have raised garden beds, as for me they seemed easier to work with, especially here in Arizona and in my yard, where the soil is high in clay content.

Immersing myself into such work is overwhelming, but knowing that most of my wood garden beds are now built,fencing set up and soil shovelled in (thanks for the help and hard work Tim!) I can actually start my adventure and watch my garden grow. And as my mom did, just be inspired and HAVE FUN with it :)

Last week I planted my Organic seeds. I cannot begin to express my excitement as I wait to see them sprout! I planted onions, beets, radish, potatoes, carrots, squash, cucumber, zucchini, cantaloupe,lettuce, beans, peas, grapes, and various culinary herbs. I also transplanted my tomatoes and peppers (for the third time) I already had in pots. They have finally moved to their permanent home! I hope they will be happy there.

Why Organic? because there are no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, not to mention better tasting produce :) I also have a compost bin to recycle natural lawn, garden and kitchen waste that will produce nutrients to replenish my soil for future use.

I am lucky to have the space in my yard to create my own little Orchard too. I have various young fruit trees; Apple, Pear, Plum, Peach, Orange, Nectarine, Apricot and Banana. With ideal conditions and proper care I should be able to enjoy most of their fruit this season :)


What has been very helpfull for me is taking notes, as much as I can. I have a log book with my garden plan laid out. I scribble things here and there, write dates and keep track of the smallest of changes. I believe this is a key step in order to maintain your garden and learn from mistakes. Also, to better prepare for the growing seasons to come :)

I know everything I am trying to accomplish seems like much right now, and ahead are many attempts and mistakes, but hopefully by sharing them it will help others on their journey to a beautiful, bountiful garden too.

Along with my new garden I hope to create a habitat for both birds and butterflies, as a reminder of the promise I made to my mom five years ago.

My work is almost done!

I am also an amateur photographer, and hope everyone can enjoy my photos that I post as my garden progresses.

"One who plants a garden, plants happiness."

Happy planting!