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Friday Favorite: Gardening with Mom

April 13th, 2012

Yesterday I went over to my mom’s house to help her plant potatoes and to plant a few things of my own in her garden. My mom has a beautiful edible garden space which she has spent years building into a rich loamy spot, perfect for vegetables. Since the soil at Chiot’s Run is less than conducive to vegetable gardening, I grow a few things in her garden each year while I work on improving the soil and expanding my gardening space.




It’s also great to garden with my mom because we get to spend time together doing something we both enjoy doing. Being able to talk with someone else about something you enjoy with one who also enjoys it is really nice. Mr Chiots isn’t much into gardening so he puts up with it as a conversation topic, with my mom it’s what our conversations almost always end up being about.



My mom’s mom also enjoyed gardening, whenever we’d go down to visit we’d usually walk around the garden and talk about plants. I have a few heirloom plants in my garden that I got from her. Some of them went to my mom and then on to me. I wonder if any of my nieces or nephew will grow up to love gardening, it sure would be nice to have someone else to hand down some of these heirloom plants and gardening knowledge to.

Do you have someone you share a love of gardening with?

21 Comments to “Friday Favorite: Gardening with Mom”
  1. Liz J on April 13, 2012 at 5:44 am

    My husband shares the gardening experience with me and appreciates the end results ~ it would be a sad thing if he didn’t. Beautiful pictures Susy, it looks like a lovely spot and the morning glories are gorgeous. Tell me please ~ is the straw for around the plants, on the walkways, or both? Also, do you till it in at the end of the season or rake it up. I’ve been thinking about straw or woodchips to keep down the weeds. Have a great day!

    Reply to Liz J's comment

    • Susy on April 13, 2012 at 8:19 am

      We use the straw for mulching walkways and around plants. Here at Chiot’s Run I use it as well when I run out chopped leaves. It works nicely at suppressing weeds and retaining soil moisture. I’ll have to do a post about it.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  2. Andrea Duke on April 13, 2012 at 6:42 am

    This post was touching.

    My Grandfather is the gardener in our family and I love talking to him about what we’ve started or how the tomatoes are doing. He is going to 83 in May and my Grandparents are moving so It’s going to be sad for several reasons, but one will be that he won’t have a garden.

    There is a quote I have that I bought on a metal plaque several years ago and a part of it mentions having a garden patch. Ralph Waldo Emerson. You have probably read it before.

    I hope since I have been doing things with my son since he was really small that I have put that love for gardening in him. So far he loves it. He used to call the little seedlings his ‘babies’.

    Reply to Andrea Duke's comment

  3. Maria on April 13, 2012 at 6:51 am

    My mother…but gardening for her is all about flowers :) What joy to be able to share so much with your mother.

    m.

    Reply to Maria's comment

  4. Canned Quilter on April 13, 2012 at 7:01 am

    For the first time this year my daughter is quitting work to stay at home with her toddler and is starting to take an interest in gardening. It is such a blessing to me to see her develop these skills and love of gardening for another generation. I so look forward to our time together this year in the garden.

    Reply to Canned Quilter's comment

  5. Allison on April 13, 2012 at 8:13 am

    My mom is a huge gardener and so is my hubs.

    Your mom’s potager is just absolutely gorgeous!

    Reply to Allison's comment

  6. tj on April 13, 2012 at 8:53 am

    …I really don’t have anyone to talk to about gardening. I have a few friends but none that are into gardening like I am. My husband gets a garden spurt once in awhile but it’s usually when he can harvest something or telling me I should be doing this or that. He has a friend who used to own a farm and he gets all his info’ from him which clashes with my beliefs about wanting to grow organically. Gardening is a source of joy for me and sadly when my husband gets involved it usually turns into an argument. *sigh*

    …The photos of you and your mom are just precious Susy. I miss my mom so.

    …I do have to say that the only thing that would complete that lovely photo of your Mom’s garden is a few chickens pecking and scratching outside the garden fence. :o)

    …Thanks for taking us along with your Mom – “Hi Susy’s Mom!” *waving*

    …Enjoy your day!

    …Blessings :o)

    Reply to tj's comment

  7. Turling on April 13, 2012 at 9:56 am

    My father. Unfortunately, he passed a few years ago. My wife does her best, but like Mr. Chiots, I think she tolerates me. It’s harder then you think finding like minded people in a Southern California suburban neighborhood who enjoy gardening. Most people don’t even come out of their houses. I wonder why they waste the money on a house with land and don’t just live in a condo. If they ever venture out, I’ll ask them.

    Reply to Turling's comment

  8. Donna B. on April 13, 2012 at 10:33 am

    Thankfully I have BOTH mothers to talk to about gardening!
    My own mother lives in Delaware, so our conversations on the phone usually start with “So what did you plant today?” My boyfriend’s mother lives nearby, so we visit eachother’s gardens constantly. She’s more of an ornamental grower, where I do veggies – so it’s nice to share eachother’s passion.
    I do love this photo series though, she has such a beautiful garden! And it’s so big! That greenhouse is gorgeous, I bet it’s used to it’s full potential each year.
    What are you going to do when you move to the Northeast? Mom’s gunna miss you!

    Reply to Donna B.'s comment

  9. Mrs. Mac on April 13, 2012 at 11:25 am

    My dad and his mother when she was alive. I just remember visiting her home each summer and her backyard garden was splendid. One of my two veggie garden’s has a sign reading, ‘Dad’s Garden,’ that I put up each summer. When he and my mom visit, we tackle a garden plan (fencing, garden sink, etc.)

    Reply to Mrs. Mac's comment

  10. Victoria on April 13, 2012 at 12:42 pm

    What a special time. My father helped me set up my garden 4 years ago. We laughed, talked about what my great grandmother grew, and enjoyed the sunshine. His gift of a green thumb is something I’ll always treasure.

    Reply to Victoria's comment

  11. daisy on April 13, 2012 at 3:36 pm

    What a blessing to share such a wonderful pasttime together. I’m the only gardener in these parts…

    Reply to daisy's comment

  12. Denimflyz on April 13, 2012 at 5:35 pm

    My grandfather was the gardener, and my grandmother loved roses,and herbs and canned and dried everything they could as we all ate out of the garden, so the two went hand in hand. I learned as much as I could, being so young, and not really understanding the world at that time. I wish I could have my grandparents back…. I miss their advice and love.
    I have some house neighbors who garden, so there are three of us in this unruly neighborhood, and that is the only thing that keep my sanity to live in this space at this time.
    Unfortunatly, I have no one to pass on the knowledge I have gleaned, so I will just continue to eat pretty good out of my space and watch the world go by.
    Wonderful photos of you and mom. She has a stunning space, a paradise.

    Reply to Denimflyz's comment

  13. Sofie Dittmann @thegermanfoodie on April 13, 2012 at 8:26 pm

    This is on my list for next year! Oh, and I think this is a wonderful mother/daughter project.

    Reply to Sofie Dittmann @thegermanfoodie's comment

  14. Misti on April 14, 2012 at 9:01 am

    Wow, her garden is beautiful. The gate into the garden is kind of how I’ve imagined my garden to look one day.

    How will your mom feel/you feel if you do indeed move away from her to another state?…gardening talk will be limited to phone and internet.

    Reply to Misti's comment

  15. KimH on April 14, 2012 at 9:28 am

    Most of my life has been filled with gardeners in one way or another.. my maternal grandmother, my paternal grandfather, my dad & step mom ,who live 1800 miles away, my mom & daughter who are 1200 miles away, my sister who is no longer on this Earth plane, many neighbors who became friends, and friends I’ve made thru the garden centers & greenhouses, and even some from The National Gardening Assoc, The Mother Earth News, & Organic Gardening magazine ads, all many many years ago..before computers of course. :)

    Today, I have a couple local friends who garden, but only one of them grows veggies. My younger daughter will also help if she has time & shared a love of the garden with me when she was growing up, but shes doesnt garden with me anymore, unless I drag her out to help. ;)

    I love to share my gardening with anyone who will look & listen, especially young children & teens who have no clue.

    We adopted a young family who was a friend of my daughters who’s children are all my “sorta” grands… They call me Nana and we have that kind of relationship. They are the sweetest kiddies (ages 9mo, 2.5, 6.5, & 9.5) and Im the one who has always introduced the kids to plants that smell.. herbs, flowers & the like. I’ve also always let them “help” me in the garden, even when their tiny feet were more likely to tromp my newly planted tomato or pepper plants than to really help.
    They all love it & cant wait till they get to come “help” me.. even their mama.. They talk about it every spring and call me to ask if its time! :)

    The joy it gives me is immense & immeasurable..

    While m’honey isnt a gardener, he like Mr Chiots, will tolerate my garden babble, and actually will come help if & when I need it… and sometimes when I dont. ;) At the community garden, he would always get there before me, and water it.. which is awesome because that is just the ONE thing I cant stand to do.. I dont know why it is.. but it is.. Only problem with that is, if it needed weeded or hoed, its too wet to get into it. ;) Anyways, he helps me a little bit at the community garden, but not here at the house… which is just as well. ;) Hes not a gardener exactly, but he is a wonderful guy, either way. ;)

    Mostly, I get my garden community fix online… like here at Chiots Run… Thats sad in a way but its awesome in another way…

    I’ve been thinking about trying to find out about the Master Gardener program here &/or a garden club… Perhaps even the National Herb Assoc which is actually located in Kirtland Oh, right down the street.
    Im feeling its time to reach out to other like minded local gardeners..

    Reply to KimH's comment

  16. Autumn on April 14, 2012 at 3:26 pm

    My mother and I both love to garden as well so its nice to hear that I am not the only one that has this experience. I don’t have any friends that feel the same way so it is nice to at least have her.

    Reply to Autumn's comment

  17. Kathy Blake on April 15, 2012 at 10:22 pm

    Your Mom’s garden is beautiful. Can you tell me what she used that allowed her morning glories to grow that way at the entrance to her garden?

    I surely miss gardening with my Mom, enjoy every moment!

    Thanks so much.

    Reply to Kathy Blake's comment

  18. Lozy on April 17, 2012 at 1:45 pm

    I really like her green house! I would love to see more pictures and some specs on it.

    Reply to Lozy's comment

About

This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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