“There is nothing to writing. All you have to do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” 

-Ernest Hemingway

Friends, I’m feeling a little anemic. I’ve been writing about some really heavy stuff the last couple of weeks, like the arduous journey to Pierce’s autism diagnosis, and my multiple depression diagnoses. In order to make the reader feel what I felt, I have to dig up the emotions and details of those times in my life I’d rather forget. My current headspace is not great. 

Fortunately, I have a distraction. My 2022 cutting garden is already growing! Last week, I sowed the first seeds of hardy annuals I’ll be planting in the fall. A few of my little babies have begun to sprout. I began with piles of 4-pack flats from some of the puny annuals in the greenhouse that had to be tossed. I soaked them in a bleach solution to kill any lingering plant diseases then scrubbed them clean. I used a soilless potting mix we produce at the nursery: EarthMix Proganix I. After researching every single plant I’d be sowing, I figured out their optimal conditions for germination. Tim set the grow lights up with a timer that can be controlled with an app. Here’s what the rack looks like:

I’m growing several varieties of snapdragons, foxglove, pincushion flower, canterbury bells, statice, flowering kale, dianthus, stock, and Queen Anne’s lace. I’ll also be adding some delphinium, godetia, strawflower, calendula, yarrow, rudbeckia, and sweet peas. All but one of the kale seeds have germinated along with 1 canterbury bell, 4 pincushion flower, 15 statice, and three teeny tiny foxgloves. Most of the plants I’ve sown are hardy to zone 7 or lower, but I’m experimenting with the godetia, stock, and strawflower. Those are only hardy to zone 8. I’m saving seeds for a spring sowing in case these don’t make it. I hope to have some babies to plant in the new bed within a few weeks!

I’ve spent hours making plans, organizing the plants I want to grow by color, shape (daisy, spike, or lace), and function (focal flowers, fillers, or foliage). I am going full plant nerd. In the coming weeks, I’ll share some of those lists and plans. Just in case you’re as fascinated/nerdy as me. Short post tonight. I needed to walk away from the pit of despair for a few minutes and think about something else. Thank God Ted Lasso is back!! Season two is exactly what I need right now.