The garden is a place of rest for me…not a physical rest, but a reprieve from the day to day hustle of a fast-paced life. Sometimes we need to say no to the things that would rob us of a deeper yes. My garden is a deeper yes…not that I get all the time I desire to be there, but more that I can go there when I need to. My children need to be there too…to learn that fruit comes from plants rather than the grocery store…that there is more to experience while gardening than a cell phone can offer.

This year, grow a garden and invite your children to grow it with you. Make it a family affair. Thomas Jefferson wrote, “No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden.”  I couldn’t agree more!

I remember vividly my grandparent’s farm where I spent many summers in my early childhood. I refer to it often as it was here that I was first introduced to the love of gardening.

One very memorable place on the farm was the south side of the garage. It was here that I experienced Sweet Peas for the first time. My grandma would invite me to get “close up” with these beauties. She understood the value of planting the emotions of color and fragrance into the lessons so that the labor of gardening was always overshadowed by the love and benefits of gardening.

Peas are a cool weather crop, so they are generally started earlier than other garden plants. The old saying was to “mud in your peas” in February. I like to think that I am not doing any gardening in “mud”, but that I have spent a good amount of effort in maintaining good soil structure so I’m not in mud…even in February.

Sweet Peas are not difficult to grow, but there are a few principles that will help get the best results for the effort. Peas, of any kind, need well drained soil. They have a root system that thrives in soil with good porosity (volume of water and air that can be held in the soil). Plant your peas in late February or March and to get them started while the weather is still cool. If you want sweet peas and have not planted yet, give it a try…even in April. Just soak the seeds for 24 hours before going into the ground.

I would also recommend using inoculant on your legumes (peas and beans) prior to planting. Inoculant is a special form of bacteria culture that promotes nitrogen fixing nodules on the roots of the plant. You can find inoculant at your local independent garden center. Follow the instructions on the package.

The fun is to search out varieties of sweet peas that you will enjoy and that will fit your specific conditions. There are varieties that will take more heat, ones that will grow shorter, and others that are early or late and so on. Typically, your local garden center will have a few varieties that are common, but if you want an amazing selection, you may want to try a source that carries specialty varieties. For this, I recommend Renee’s Garden Seeds. By far, Renee’s carries some of the best varieties I have found with a great selection and great customer service. Planting instructions are on the back of the seed package, so just apply what you find there.

Zinnias are one of my favorite annuals in the summer garden. They are prolific in bloom, excellent cut flowers and very easy to grow.

They can be purchased in seed form or by small starts at your local garden center. There are many varieties to choose from in seed form, but less as starts. Try ‘State Fair’ or ‘Cut and Come Again’ that will most likely be in your local garden center in starts.

I found an incredible selection at Reene’s Garden Seed that I am starting from seed this year. They can be sown directly in the ground, but make sure the soil temperature is at least 60 degrees F. when sowing. Keep them cut for fresh flower arrangements and they will keep producing. Last year we had them into late October. Happy Gardening, Mallory

For local gardening information, find Simply Gardening on Facebook at www.facebook.com/simplygardening .

The dramatic scenes found at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm are a common occurrence when the tulips come into bloom. Add the excitement of the Tulip Festival and you have the best of all worlds. There are approximately 40 acres of colorful tulips to feast your eyes upon and they are simply spectacular. Here in the Northwest tulip season starts at the end of March and stays strong until the end or April.  For the past 28 years, the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival has been a hit here in the Willamette Valley. This year’s festival runs March 29th thru May 5th. When you go out to the festival, don’t forget to bring the essentials; your camera, your coat, boots and umbrella (just in case), your appetite and of course your children, parents, friends…anybody you love. Go to www.woodenshoe.com for all the details including real time field conditions. Please don’t miss it, make it a tradition as so many others have!

Poinsettias are in your local garden center. Here are some tips that will help keep your Poinsettias beautiful for the whole Christmas season.

• Keep them from getting too cold. Take them right home (no stopping for more shopping) and put them inside the house very soon after your purchase.  Remember…they are tropical plants.

Where you place your Poinsettias in your home is important.         

• Avoid  any area where your plant will be exposed to drafts… like near your front door.

•  Keep them away from excessive heat from appliances, wood stoves, or heat ducts.

• Your poinsettia wants bright natural light, but not direct sunlight and the color will last longer with temperatures ranging from 60-65 degrees…so just put on a sweater and enjoy.

• Keep the soil semi-moist; check every few days and water when the soil surface feels dry to the touch. Before watering, remove any foil wrapping; water to saturate the soil, and then allow it to drain. Don’t let the plant sit in standing water…they are quite susceptible to root rot.

If you want to keep your Poinsettia alive past the holiday, go for it. As for me, there are a thousand other plants I would rather spend time keeping healthy. My suggestion… throw it out and get a new one again next year.

Here in the Northwest, the hard work is paying off with dividends of harvest. Corn, tomatoes, pumpkins, squash and anything else planted is now ready to eat fresh and preserve for later. Keep everything picked as it ripens and this will help the next wave of produce to ripen. If you have never canned or dried food, there is no better time to learn. If you did not plant a garden this year, visit some farmers markets in your area to experience farm fresh produce grown with love.

Peaches grow well in the Northwest, but this year it was a scarce crop. We found a grower in St. Paul, OR that produced a bumper crop of Suncrest and Late Elberta’s. We picked about 80 pounds of Elberta this weekend and are ready to can…if we don’t eat them before we get the processed! A truly freestone peach, the Elberta is excellent for canning, fresh eating and, of course cobblers and crisps.

Front porch decorations can be found right in your garden. Use spent corn stalks, squash, carved out pumpkins and pansies or violas to give a warm harvest welcome to your guests.

My wife just read me your article in the Gazette paper here in Sandy, Oregon.  You mentioned sugar ants as one of the challenges of having a container of sugar water hanging around.  I stumbled on a neat solution that avoids insecticides etc.  My best feeder is a simple glass feeder that holds one cup of fluid and has four red “flowers” with cage like yellow centers. For this size of feeder, just get a single strand of 20lb test fishing line will be strong enough to hold your feeder up, but narrow and slick enough that ants cannot negotiate the connection.  Works super.  I just love to watch them and take their pictures when the light is right.

Statuary or other garden art in your garden or borders can add a dynamic that nothing else can. There are so many different types and styles to choose from and it doesn’t have to be expensive. One of my favorite uses of garden art was an old chair we painted white and took out the seat. We placed it over some Helenium and let it grow up through the chair. It looked great and it was good support for the tall plants.

Let you imagination go wild and have fun. Happy Gardening!