Each year I tell myself that I am not going to plant anything in my garden this year.
I am not as young as I used to be and my back has seen its better days. But I just can’t stop myself. Gardening is one of the things in life that brings me the most pleasure.
As a longtime gardener, I just love the smell of soil in the warm sun. Add the scent of herbs, flowers and the taste of a fresh tomato and I’m in my happy place. It’s something I don’t ever want to give up.
My vegetable garden is complete until the fall, when I will plant some cooler weather vegetables. My herb garden, flowers, citrus and palm trees are all doing well, despite the hot temperatures. I just have to remember to keep watering everything if it doesn’t rain.
I like to learn new gardening techniques, especially if it makes my life easier. I have been looking at different methods of gardening and thought that I would share some of the things I have learned.
Hopefully you will find how rewarding gardening can be. You don’t even have to have a green thumb. And even if you aren’t as agile as you have been, you can still grow something.
If you are a senior who has loved gardening for decades, then I’m sure you will be delighted to learn that you don’t need to give it up as you age. You might not want to weed large beds or handle heavy pots, but you can still get your hands in the dirt and grow fresh herbs, vegetables, flowers and other plants.
There is no reason for someone who is getting older to give up gardening. The following ideas will hopefully make gardening enjoyable for everyone no matter what your age.
If you are having issues with your back, you might want to check out some raised beds. Here at the center, we have raised beds that are high enough not to be stressful on your back. These really can help.
The placement of a garden is important. If you are able to garden outside away from your house, then a raised bed is definitely a good idea. Having a garden that is up off the ground can provide those with hip, back, knee or balance problems a way to still dig in the dirt.
I have two very large raised beds at my house. This has definitely made gardening for myself extremely satisfying. These beds can be very low maintenance.
First, you must install your raised bed. There are kits available in most stores that have a garden center, such as Lowe’s and Home Depot. They are easy to put together with boards and a few hinges. There are also many plans online for raised beds.
Before you install your bed, make sure that it is located in an area where your plants will get plenty of sun and on flat ground. For those in a wheelchair, the surface around the bed will need to be hard and smooth.
Make sure there are plenty of turning around places. An easy to reach outside faucet for water is needed so that watering will be easier. After you have your bed installed, use a good soil that will drain easy.
Add a time-released fertilizer and mulch to reduce weed growth. Now you are ready to plant.
The least physical way to grow flowers and vegetables is to grow from seed. You will still need to thin the seedlings out after they germinate and keep them watered and weeded. That’s about it.
If you prefer to use plants, soak the container in water and gently push the plant out, keeping as much soil around the roots as possible. Place in a hole and cover the roots with soil.
Try to choose plants that are low-maintenance. For instance, plant bush beans that will not need something to climb on. If planting a fruit tree, choose one with low growing fruit. Planting perennials is a good idea since they will not have to be planted year after year.
Weeding is something all of us dread. But if you will keep your weeds out of your garden, they will not reseed, making your gardening much more enjoyable.
We just purchased a battery-operated cultivator. This works great keeping the weeds out of the garden. It has a high handle and doesn’t take much energy to operate it. You can find these on Amazon.
If you need to stay a little closer to your house, you can still garden just outside your door. Container gardening allows more seniors access to flowers and vegetables in one pot and also gives them the height that helps make gardening easier for them.
The following will give you some ideas of what to put in your pots.
When planning a container garden, remember to use thrillers, fillers and spillers. In the back of the pot add plants that will give height to your container. Add plants around the center to fill in the spaces.
Finally, add plants that will spill over the sides of the container. This method will give your containers a beautiful effect. If you want to plant annuals in your containers, pack them in.
They will become root-bound and grow up over the pots. You’ll get drama and a beautiful arrangement.
Herbs can thrive in a container. Don’t be afraid to mix different herbs in the same pot. Some herbs that love growing in a container include mint, basil, parsley, chives, thyme and oregano. The more you pinch and pick the herbs, the more they will grow. Adding fresh herbs to your food is a delicious way to add much flavor.
A one-pot vegetable garden is always a hit. You can put three bamboo poles in the center of a large pot and make a teepee. Plant beans at the base of each pole. Fill the other space with root vegetable such as carrots or beets.
Make a pizza garden in a container. Plant a Roma tomato in the center of the pot. Around it plant a green pepper plant, onions and some herbs such as basil and oregano.
Get some pizza dough and you are ready for a delicious homemade pizza.
Another idea for a container is a salsa garden. Plant tomatoes, onions, hot peppers and cilantro to make wonderful homemade salsa.
You can even grow vegetables if you don’t have anywhere to plant them. Take a bag of potting soil and cut the top off it. Scoop out some of the soil. Water the soil and then sprinkle seeds across the dirt.
Cover the seeds with the soil you removed. Add a little fertilizer and punch about a dozen holes in the bottom for drainage. Place the bag in the sun. Do not place on concrete, it will get too hot. Also do not place the bag on grass. It will kill your grass.
The best place to put the bag is on a pallet because air can circulate around it. Good vegetables to plant in a bag are lettuce, spinach or radishes. The hardest part is having to wait until your plants are big enough to eat.
And finally, if going outside is not an option, then bring the garden inside. Window gardens are perfect for anyone. Edible window gardens consist of herbs such as dill, basil, cilantro, lavender, parsley, mint, thyme, oregano and chives. Use a potting mix rather than outside soil.
Place your window garden in a sunny location. You can also plant tomatoes and strawberries indoors. Flowers planted in a window garden is also an option. Containers for window gardens can be purchases almost anywhere. Cactus window gardens need almost no maintenance. Plant the cactus in soil mixed with gravel and sand.
Gardening gives added motivation to get outdoors in the fresh air and can be enjoyed by seniors with varying ability levels. Some older adults prefer to choose the plants, get their hands in the dirt and enjoy the planting process.
There are others who are content to just water their gardens and watch it grow. Either way, gardening can bring hours of enjoyment, quiet moments and much to talk about.
We have some exciting events coming to the senior center. If you are at least 50 years of age, you are welcome to come join us.
• July 6: 8:30 a.m., Games and Puzzles; 10 a.m., Bingo; 11 a.m., volleyball practice
• July 7: 8:30 a.m., Games and Puzzles; 10 a.m., Bingo w/Beltone; 11 a.m., Junk Drawer Detective Game and What Am I?
• July 8: 8:30 a.m., Games and Puzzles; 10 a.m., The Mobile Moc will be at the senior center. The staff will conduct an educational program on heat management and safety
• July 9: 8:30 a.m., Games and Puzzles; 10 a.m., Christmas in July Bingo with Mike and Virginia Tallent; 11 a.m., Cardio Drumming; 11:45 a.m., Butterfly Suncatchers
• July 10: 8:30 a.m., Games and Puzzles; 10 a.m., Bingo with Etowah Health Care; 11 a.m., Hot Dog Month celebration with a cookout; 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Karaoke
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