With Spring finally here in Georgia, my daddy is chomping at the bit to get his garden planted.  Honestly, it keeps him going and there’s nothing I like to see more than him getting excited about his garden, planting seeds and plants and watching them grow into something our family can eat.  He’s been doing this for so long, as long as I can remember and it truly keeps him active and loving life.  So, we will never discourage him from gardening as long as he is physically able to do it.
Gardening keeps my daddy going, I’m convinced of that!  He will be 88 in July and is still going strong. He complains when the weather doesn’t warm up fast enough so he can get out there and prepare his plot of dirt.
I told him when he got ready to start the garden to let me know, since many of you are interested in how and when he plants.  I captured him running his tiller over the garden getting it ready for planting. You would think this dirt isn’t rich enough, but he has been amending this soil with compost for years, even though it still looks like red clay.
Just last week, he planted rutabagas and broccoli plants. These are the first in the ground and it won’t be long before more go in. In fact, he planted some early tomato plants right after these went in.
By the way, if you wonder where I got my build from, there you go.  My dad was 6’5″ tall in his early years and was always long legs and lanky. I got blessed with the same.  My sister and I both ended up at 5’8″.
This dirt doesn’t look that rich, does it? But, he manages to bring up a good garden in this soil. Â Years of experience, I’m sure.
We had another freeze after he put these in the ground and he was really afraid he might lose some.
I went outside with him as he showed how he covered them all up the night before to try to keep those tender plants from freezing. He somehow had enough buckets to cover them all.
I think the broccoli plants are OK, but he was not so sure about the tomato plants. I’ll find out how they did this week. He wanted you all to see the downside to gardening.  When you plant early, you always take a chance at a late freeze.
I’ll come back later and share his garden as more and more things get planted and give you some updates this year on how my daddy plants and grows his garden. After more than 50 years of gardening, he definitely knows a thing or 2 about harvesting vegetables.
In the meantime, I did a little video with him talking about when and what he plants and how he gets his garden started. Â I thought many of you would love to see this, so enjoy!
Rho,
I love your precious Daddy and Mamma. Seeing him planting makes me think of my Daddy and Mamma. They were the happiest when they were in their garden. They passed the love the garden on down to us children. Now our Son Dwayne is the gardner. He has all of the vegetables planted that your Dad mentioned in the video. Well done!
I always love stories about your parents esp. your Dad. So glad he is still able to garden.
Oh Rhoda, I loved that video of my Uncle Al. You know I’m always missing my own dad. Have a wonderful Easter with your family.
I miss your daddy too, Judy. I think about him a lot.
Thank you for sharing Rhoda. Your daddy is such a blessing.
I just learned that home gardeners like your dad can share their bounty with the hungry in our community through the Atlanta Community Food Bank. With your father’s gift for gardening I have no doubts he will have a bumber crop. Just wanted to put it out there to the larger community about this wonderful opportunity for those with a green thumb. Thanks!!
Please keep up with the gardening videos, I need help. Does he plant squash and zuccini from seed? Also, which kind of tomato plants does he plant first?
Your Dad is a true inspiration to all of us. Is there anything sweeter than a good man in his garden? As always, thanks so much for sharing your blessings with us!
When I opened this email this morning and saw the title I couldn’t wait to read it. He is such an inspiration to everyone, including all your readers! I look forward to more gardening tips from the expert.
And I am so glad he shared out to grow Irish potatoes. I saved some last week that were sprouting and wasn’t sure how to cut the eye off and plant. Now I know!
My sweet daddy is 82 and loves gardening, too. He and your dad would get along great! We are blessed to have them, aren’t we?
well, your dad IS THE BOMB.com when it comes to most EVERYTHING> and he WAS champing at the bit to get started–so nice your seasons start so early and are so long
Wonderful post. Please let us know how dad does his watering. Thanks.
Rhoda your dad is just an amazing fountain of knowledge. Keep this wonderful series up. I would love to have a vegetable garden now that I am living in Texas. Wish I was closer so I could be a “helper”. 🙂
How wonderful your Daddy is keeping busy in the garden 🙂 I think it is very important for our loved ones to keep busy and doing what they love! My Daddy was a avid Farmer/Rancher and even after getting out of the hospital after Bypass surgery his first wish was to check on his cattle and garden 🙂 Your Daddy is a real keeper and good sport to share his wisdom with us on his garden. Here in Ca we have a drought and not sure what I will be planting this year but one of my family favorites is Lemon Cucumber’s 🙂
That is so special of you to feature your dad’s garden on your blog. My friend just got me started on container gardening. At first I wasn’t too sure about it but now I am very excited. I check my plants every afternoon. 🙂
Love your dad and always puts a smile on my face when you write a post about your family. You are blessed!
Thank you for sharing. I wish I was a better gardener . My dad planted me some tomato plants and then chiggers got all over them because I planted a bunch of blackberries I got on sale at Lowes for 50 cents . I did not know blackberries would spread like weeds .They get chiggers all over them and they spread to all my tomato plants. I think I overwatered the tomato plants because I killed all the tomato plants and my dad hasn’t been back . I am just going to plant an herb garden surely I wont kill those plants. I hope I can learn something from you dad I would love to grow squash because I read where it has the highest amount of chemicals in it if the seller sprays them because of its thin skin. I would also love to plant organic potatoes
Blackberry winter … isn’t that what we just had? Typical GA spring – in the 80s one week and frost the next. Just gotta roll with it!
Your dad needs to be a regular “guest”… I’m in awe of his wealth of gardening know-how. Thanks for sharing him!
LOVE this post!! Reminds me of my 84 yr old Daddy in NC that plants a garden every year too. When I call my parents, he is always out tending his beloved garden. I think gardening, cooking at the church, and volunteering all keep him going strong. Great inspiration from your Daddy and a GREAT looking garden!!
Great post! One of the lessons here too is do not stop moving! I had a grandfather who was a farmer…and lived to 97. I am thinking of doing some container gardening this year…but I have to fight off squirls.
Sheila
I love it when you feature you Daddy and I love that you call him Daddy too! May you enjoy both your parents company and love for many years to come.