Of all the construction related dangers I've been worrying about over the last month, pitch was not even on the list. It isn't truly a danger in the way of saws, ladders and heavy stuff falling on you, but wowza is it uncomfortable when it gets in your hair!

My last two weeks have looked a lot like this:

I've had my head up close to lots of pieces of wood, many of which leak goopy pitch. It was inevitable really, just a matter of time before a huge smear of it got all over my hair.

PSA: Mayonnaise works great to get pitch out of hair. It took about 20 minutes of massaging 1/2 cup of mayo throughout my hair to untangle the mess, before washing it all out with shampoo.

Another side effect of all this time on ladders and cutting and building is that my gardening time has been extremely limited this spring.

We're living in a rental through the project, so I'm not really "at home" on the weekends. And when I am at the house/job site, from about 7:30 am to 4:30pm every weekday, I'm managing the construction.

Gardening is fitting into 15-minute windows a couple times a day.

Some things I'm noticing:

🌱 Staying on top of the weeds takes a lot more than 15 minutes a day. It really does require a solid chunk of garden time every so often. That time used to fit seamlessly into weekends when we were all just relaxing at home, but hasn't been feasible the last month or so. The weed situation is definitely more intense than it's been in years!

🌱 Seed starting *does* easily fit into little chunks of time. I started 4 square pots worth of zinnias and celosias this week in just 10 minutes. If you have materials and tools stocked, getting seeds started is a breeze. At this point in my life, in fact, it's easier and faster than going to the nursery because it doesn't require an errand, with the all the planning, parking, choosing, waiting in line, paying and driving home. Sure, I'll have to be patient, but that's ok.

🌱 Being in and around the garden without the time to work on it has made me appreciate it more, and in a different way. Because I simply can't get stuck into a weeding or planting project, I'm freer to just admire the plants and watch them do their thing.

Arriving early each morning before the rest of the crew gives me a few minutes to experience the garden and see what's new.

As far as vegetable gardening goes, this year is not going to be epic. There just isn't enough time. I'm growing all the seed club varieties, plus several brand new tomato varieties, but nothing more ambitious than that.

On the other hand, the perennials and fruit trees are filling in nicely, with no extra effort required from me. The work of choosing and planting trees and native perennials from the last 5 years or so is paying off in a way that I knew, in theory, but didn't truly know, until now.

Wishing you beautiful May garden vibes!

Happy Seedurday,

Anne

When you’re ready, here are some more ways I can help you grow a thriving garden from seed:

1. Plan your seed-starting schedule with our ​free printable planner.​

2. Download the free ​Orta Seed Starting Handbook with all the basics you need to succeed with seeds.​

3. Take the guesswork out of watering with Orta Self-Watering Pots. (Find discounted factory seconds here!)

4. Join the Orta Seed Club to have 5 hand-picked, unusual & high-yielding varieties delivered to you every season.

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