Candee Fick's Blog, page 30

Refocusing on Family

This coming school year is a huge one for our family, and while I’m taking the time this month to refocus on my personal mission statement of Faith, Family, and Fiction, I’m also planning ahead for an emotional year of transitions.

First up, this is the last year I’ll have a child in Elementary School. The last year for class parties and field trips and Valentine’s exchanges. The last year with a home room teacher instead of switching rooms for every subject. While I know my little guy is grow...

Refocusing on Faith

After a crazily-busy summer, it’s time for the kids to head back to school … and time for me to refocus on my goals. Not only is it a great time to regroup for a final push to accomplish my list for 2014, but the start of another school year feels like the perfect time for a fresh start.

With that in mind, I reviewed my personal mission statement — Faith, Family, and Fiction — then took a closer look at each area. Today, I’m refocusing on my faith.

In light of recent events in Gaza and Iraq, it...

Harvesting A Good Crop

After months of preparing, planting, watering, weeding, thinning … and waiting in anticipation, the first vegetables are finally ready. Baskets and bowls of sugar snap peas, radishes, carrots and lettuce are transformed into salads even kids will eat. Fresh corn on the cob and yellow summer squash. Cucumbers in vinegar water and stuffed zucchini boats. And salsa from fresh-picked tomatoes, onions, garlic, jalapenos, and cilantro. Don’t forget the fall with pumpkins to carve and seeds to roast...

Thinning For Maximum Growth

The hardest aspect of gardening for me is the thinning. Why should I pull up perfectly good carrot or cucumber plants? And why pinch blossoms off pumpkin and watermelon vines? It’s not like they’re weeds.

But, if I leave too many plants in a small area, none of them will grow to their full potential. They’ll compete for nutrients and space. And a single vine can’t put energy into a dozen melons. By thinning the rows and pinching blossoms, I allow my garden to maximize the resources for the gre...

Time To Weed

With rich, nutritious soil and enough water and sunshine, what grows in my garden? Very hardy weeds, that’s what. Although my youngest son loves to pick the pretty yellow flowers, I’m destined to crawl around on my hands and knees trying to get to the roots and make sure they never show their mocking faces in my garden or yard again. Whether I use a hoe or a hand spade, I am on a mission to get rid of the weeds before they take over. Week after week, I wage war. (And don’t get me started on t...

Keeping Out the Pests

Ever read the book about Peter Rabbit? That mischievous bunny just couldn’t resist the lure of Mr. McGregor’s garden. Lettuce, carrots, beans, radishes. A feast worth crawling under a gate for. All until he got chased around by an angry gardener with a rake.

Part of gardening involves putting up some type of barrier to protect the plants from outside invaders – ranging from children’s (and dog’s) trampling feet to deer to birds to insects and other pests. Wise gardeners put up fences and cover...

Here Comes The Rain

April showers bring May flowers. Or so I heard back in Elementary school. And summer brings afternoon thunderstorms (at least here in Colorado.)

What’s that got to do with growing a garden? Well, in addition to having nutrient-rich soil in a sunny spot, you need water. And not just water on the surface, but deep down where the roots will eventually spread out. Whether it comes as a sprinkling or a downpour, consistent rain is necessary to prevent longterm drought.

When the rains come, do we wel...

Hardening Off For Survival

In honor of summer, we’ve been looking at a few life lessonsfrom the garden.

Once you’ve got your seedlings started and the soil prepared (as discussed in previous weeks), it’s still not quite time to put the plants in the ground. Not only do you have to wait for the weather to warm up (especially here in Colorado), but the baby plants need a period of hardening off before they can survive the harsh world.

Young and fragile plants raised in the protected environment of a greenhouse can go into...

Composting Past Mistakes

Last week, we looked at the importance of breaking up or tillingthe soil of our garden. Part of that process includes adding organic material to the soil.

And nothing beats the “black gold” of compost.

Compost. That mixture of decaying organic matter, such as leaves and manure, that is used as fertilizer. Where else can trash like used coffee grounds, banana peels, shredded newspaper, and grass clippings be transformed into something vitally useful? Into something that will feed my plants the n...

Breaking New Ground

Every successful gardener knows that before planting the seeds or seedling plants, the soil must be prepared. And the first step is firing up the rototiller or picking up a shovel.

It’s time to turn the ground over. To break up the big chunks. To stir organic material into the natural clay. To loosen the dirt so that future plant roots have room to grow and that air and water can circulate. Otherwise fragile roots may encounter rock-hard ground and never get the nutrition they need for healthy...