Gardening, of course. Obvs. 

Hiking.

I turned 40. 

I possibly started writing a novel or three. Who knows how many I'll end up with? 

I started lifting weights every week, because, you know, perimenopause is coming and I gotta keep up my muscle mass and bone density. 

My stepdad died suddenly. Maybe more on that later, maybe not. Still struggling to talk about my complex feelings there. 

My cat is still alive. He's roughly 23. W I L D. 

I plan on coming back with more growing guides & gardening tips. Plus, there will be a lot more honesty about how I've got so many hobbies, it's hard to find time to water my plants, (especially since new sections of my sprinkler system keep dying or springing hard to find leaks), and what it's like to grow things in a state that seems to be losing water and gaining heat, and how my yard is the MOST capable at growing weeds. Like, the absolute most, guys. I don't know how I got so lucky.

Anyway, hi from my early forties! Hello from life! 

Plant Name: English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

Sun: Full sun. Make sure to select a spot that gets a minimum of 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. 

Planting: English Lavender prefers soil that is sandy, dry to medium, and well-drained. Also, it prefers a slightly alkaline soil, so our Utah soil is perfect for it. Dig a hole slightly bigger than the plant's root ball. Place the English Lavender in the hole, ensuring that the top of the root ball is level with or just barely above the soil surface. Space plants about 12-18 inches apart as they will get quite large as they grow. 

Water: Water your English Lavender deeply after planting, but let the soil to dry out between waterings. Lavender is drought-tolerant, so you will want to avoid overwatering it to prevent root rot.

Pruning: Prune lavender in early spring to promote bushy growth and prevent legginess. Cut back about one-third of the plant's height, making sure not to cut into the older wood.

Harvesting: Once your English Lavender is ready to bloom, you can harvest it by cutting the stems just before the flowers open. For culinary use, hang them upside down in a cool, dry place to dry.

HOW TO USE LAVENDER

Lavender is used in many different ways including culinary, therapeutic and aromatic. Check out some ideas below. 

Aromatherapy: Place a fresh lavender stems in a vase with other flowers for a beautiful fragrant bouquet or use them dried in potpourri to create a calming mood.

Kitchen: Lavender can be infused in syrups, desserts, and teas for a floral/herbal flavor. It goes well in baked goods, lemonades, and savory foods like roasted vegetables. Also, lavender is often one of the dried herbs in the American version of Herbs Provence (although people will tell you that's NOT supposed to be the case). 

Soothing Baths: Dried lavender can be mixed into bath salts and sprinkled in the bathwater.

Herbal: Infuse lavender into oils or salves to use as a soothing and calming skin treatment. 

Repellent: Make small sachets to keep in your closet or drawers to repel moths, plus they smell great!

Lavender is not just a beautiful pollinator-friendly plant, but it's also a great aromatic herb to use in your kitchen and as an herbal remedy. This drought-tolerant perennial can be a beautiful and functional addition to your water-wise garden. 

GROWING SPAGHETTI SQUASH

Location: Choose a sunny spot in your garden with well-draining soil. Spaghetti squash plants require at least six hours of direct sun each day.

Planting: Plant spaghetti squash seeds directly into the ground after the last frost date for your region, or plant starts as soon as you can after last frost. They require a decent length of time to harvest, so you'll want to make sure you have enough time to harvest if you're in an area with a shorter growing season, like we have here in Utah. 

Dig a small hole about an inch deep and place two to three seeds in each hole, spacing them about three feet apart, or plant your starts with similar spacing. It can be helpful to add a layer of organic mulch around the plants to help retain moisture and slow down weed growth. Spaghetti squash vines tend to be very lengthy, so providing a trellis or sturdy cage can save space and keep the fruit off the ground, reducing the risk of fruit rot or pest damage.

Water: Keep the soil consistently moist, especially during the flowering and fruiting stages. Water deeply but avoid overwatering. Squash plants are susceptible to root rot.

Pests/Disease: Check plants regularly for squash bugs (the absolute worst!) Make sure to check under the leaves for egg clusters, remove and destroy any you find, and be sure to check the base of plants for the adults. Squash bugs are the worst and will destroy your plant VERY quickly. Also, watch out for vine borers, and powdery mildew. 

Harvest: Your spaghetti squash is ready for harvest when the skin turns a deep yellow or orange and has hardened. Cut the fruit from the vine, but leave a small stem attached. The fruit will stay good for much longer if you keep the stem on. Allow them to cure in a warm and dry place for a couple weeks before storing.

Baking spaghetti squash is usually my go to method for eating them, but, recently, I discovered an even easier method after testing a few different recipes online. This method usually helps me get the more firmer al dente pasta texture when the squash is shredded up. (I tend to over-bake my squash.)