My attempt to document the planting, growth, harvesting, and preserving of our family’s 8000 square feet of garden.
Northeast Iowa Gardening in growing zone 4
Last frost date May15, First frost date September 15
The first week of April welcomed me with crisp mornings and gentle sunshine. The frost has finally left the soil, and the wind and sunshine has dried up the mud in the garden.
Tasks I started:
I didn’t water any of the seeds since there is enough moisture in the soil for germination to happen. It’s important to remember that germination requires very little moisture and too much water can cause seeds to rot since saturated soil has less room for oxygen.
I planted the peas where the corn had been planted last year since corn is a heavy feeder, depleting the soil and peas are a legume, a nitrogen fixer. This means peas are able to take atmospheric nitrogen and convert it into usable ammonia.
Here is my link to SowRight Seeds
Use code: Ruth10 for a discount
A cold frame is a shallow, open-bottomed box with a clear lid—made of glass or plastic—that shields plants from cold, wind, and snow. It functions like a small greenhouse by using sunlight to warm both soil and air inside,
I use my cold frame to start my early, cool weather loving crops like how many people start seedling indoors. I will then transplant these seedlings from the cold frame into the main garden when they are mature enough. Because nighttime temperatures are still going below freezing many nights and soil temperatures are still cool these seedlings are hardy and adjusted from the time they sprout.
I also use my cold frame to help over winter some fall planted lettuce so we can have salads well into the winter.
The earth looks drab and brown; the seeds look dull and dry. Not one seed gives even the tiniest hint of what vibrant life it contains within. Still, my heart is filled with hope and joy as I put them into the earth because I know the transformation that is about to happen. And yet each seed must get pushed beneath the soil into the darkness before it can begin its transformation. I, the gardener, knows the potential of each seed that is why my heart is filled with hope and joy.
What if God sees me like this, when he allows me to be pushed into a dark, cold place. Does he smile and his heart fill with hope and joy like mine does when I garden? Does He smile because He knows my potential to rise from the place of darkness and be transformed to be more like him. To burst forth with new spiritual life and awareness and more Christ-like qualities?
65 Responses
Priceless Info and perspective. Thank you for sharing your heart and wisdom in words here. It is a big time and energy commitment and we appreciate it so much. I’ve copied the info from this post and the next one and printed them to put into my gardening binder for each plant and topic so I can find them easily. Such a wonderful resource. Thank you!! God bless your gardening efforts in this new season, we’ll be watching on IG, YouTube and reading here through the growing season. Having it in print here is such a blessing!!
Love this !
I enjoyed reading what your were doing in the garden and your reflections.
I was surprised to note at the top, your last & first frost dates looked the same as mine have been in southwest Ohio. For most of my adult life, our last frost date was May 12-14. It was always around Mothers Day.
I looked it up to be sure before I commented, and lo and behold, now that “they” have changed the gardening zones, my last frost date is now April 25! But I don’t trust that date! Not only don’t I trust that date, the last 5-8 years I’ve waited until early to mid-June before planting warm season crops and they’ve done much better than planting in mid-May.
Planted tomato & jalepeno plants on Wed. (8th), they’re looking great. Also rotating crop locations & moved my panel trellis I plant my pole beans on. This morning (10th) got the remainder of my garden area cleared of last year’s remnants and put a thin, fresh covering of compost & fine wood chips over last years layers. I try to keep it 3 or 4″ thick throughout the growing season. I’m trying the “no till-deep mulch method.” Worked great last 2 years for less watering & very few weeds. Yea!!
That’s all today as it started to rain & looks like it will all afternoon & evening.
Happy Planting, good for the body, mind & soul.
Planted tomato & jalepeno plants on Wed. (8th), they’re looking great. Also rotating crop locations & moved my panel trellis I plant my pole beans on. This morning (10th) got the remainder of my garden area cleared of last year’s remnants and put a thin, fresh covering of compost & fine wood chips over last years layers. I try to keep it 3 or 4″ thick throughout the growing season. I’m trying the “no till-deep mulch method.” Worked great last 2 years for less watering & very few weeds. Yea!!
That’s all today as it started to rain & looks like it will all afternoon & evening.
Happy Planting, good for the body, mind & soul.
Do you spell your name Ruth Ann or Ruthann? I am thoroughly enjoying your YouTube videos and gardening diary. It isn’t often that someone as wise and inspiring as you shows up in the media and lasts this long. You are such a breath of fresh air. Thank you showing us the way. God bless and protect you on your journey❤️.
I live in a slightly warmer climate than you do – Ohio – but you are much further along than I am at getting your garden started. Good job! But I was even more impressed with your reflection. What awesome thoughts! Very encouraging! I shared them with my adult granddaughter. Thank you.
I love you and your family so much! Thank you for sharing your life with us! Yes, God is Good!
Knowing that this garden journal adds even more work to a busy woman, I especially appreciate it. It is an incredibly helpful guide to those of us who are newbie gardeners. Who knew about nitrogen fixing—sounds like a crime, like price fixing! 😂 I love it that you are such an educator—posts like this feed my soul and my brain. Thank you.
Hi Ruthann!
It was lovely to read this! I’m just starting to learn how to grow vegetables and it was helpful to read what you’re planting and where. And what a beautiful reminder of the true of how God continues to sanctify his children!
I loved reading every word. I enjoy your YouTube channel as well. You are full of inspiration and knowledge. Thank you for sharing. ❤️
I love your analogy of God’s love for us♡
What a beautiful reflection/ picture of what we may be to God – seeds that He smiles on. How beautiful. Thank you for sharing. This encourages me this morning!
Thanks for blogging Ruth Ann, I live in Juniata Co ( Central Pa) and started my cold frame 2 weeks ago. I planted spinach. lettuce, radishes on onions and we are looking forward to salad! Keep up the good job of sharing your homesteading.