Garden Notes: Seed Organizers, Farm Stand Joy & the Season Coming Alive
This week’s Root2Rise Journal entry feels a little like a garden walk with a cup of coffee in hand.
A little bit of seed starting.
A little bit of farm stand joy.
A little bit of garden chaos.
A little bit of dreaming.
A little bit of “well, I finally listened to my daughters.”
And, of course, a few garden buddies along the way.
Finally Taking Root on TikTok
What a beautiful day with 4 of my grandbabies. Video was taken, edited, and posted with the help of my daughters, Morgan & McKenzie. Follow R2R on TikTok
Root2Rise Creations has officially entered the world of TikTok.
I say that with excitement, curiosity, and a very honest awareness that this is going to be a learning curve.
Two of my daughters are TikTok influencers and have been encouraging me for a while to bring Root2Rise into that space. I have resisted, overthought it, circled back around to it, and finally decided it was time to just begin.
The heart of Root2Rise is already full of things that belong in little video moments: seed starting, harvesting, pouring, blending, making, garden walks, farm stand updates, behind-the-scenes experiments, product restocks, and the everyday beauty of seasonal living.
Now I just have to learn how to capture and share it in a way that feels like me.
It may not be perfect.
It may be a little clunky at first.
But it will be real.
And honestly, that feels like the right place to start.
Garden Buddies: Frizz & Taz
Frizz supervising during evening garden chores
Taz saying “Good Morning” and joining me on the morning stroll with coffee in hand. He is a bit camera shy.
No garden season would be complete without a few helpers.
Or supervisors.
Or tiny chaos managers.
Frizz and Taz have been making their presence known around the garden, keeping me company while I work through the beds, check on plants, move starts around, and do the daily tasks that come with this time of year.
There is something so sweet about having animals nearby while tending a garden. They make the work feel less like a checklist and more like a rhythm.
They wander.
They observe.
They interrupt.
They inspect.
And every now and then, they remind me to pause and simply enjoy the space we are growing.
The Best Garden Investment So Far: Seed Organizers
SEED ORGANIZERS!!
One of my best investments this garden season has been seed organizers.
And I do not say that lightly.
I have a lot of seeds.
A lot.
These organizers have allowed me to finally break everything down into categories and then alphabetize within those categories. It has made the whole seed-starting and planning process feel so much more manageable.
One entire organizer is peppers.
Yes, one whole organizer.
We love peppers around here. Fermented hot sauce, Cowboy Candy, dehydrated peppers for spices, chopped and frozen peppers for meals, pickled peppers, fresh peppers for recipes — they all have a place.
There is something deeply satisfying about opening a seed organizer and actually being able to find what I am looking for without digging through piles, envelopes, and mystery packets.
It may not be flashy, but it is functional. And sometimes functional is exactly what keeps a busy season moving.
The Seed Start I Am Most Giddy About
Little sprouts of German Wine Rhubarb
The seed start I am most excited about this year is German Wine Rhubarb.
Rhubarb can be difficult to start from seed. Many gardeners start new plants by dividing crowns, which is usually the more common and reliable route. But I have had decent germination rates with rhubarb from seed in past years, and I really wanted to make sure I was growing specific varieties.
German Wine Rhubarb has been on my list because of its beautiful red coloring and its reputation for sweet, flavorful stalks.
There is just something special about growing a plant from seed when people often tell you it is easier to do it another way.
I like knowing the variety.
I like watching the process from the beginning.
I like the challenge.
And I really like rhubarb.
So yes, I am a little giddy about this one.
All Plants Are in the Garden
Another huge seasonal milestone:
All plants are in the garden.
Done by May 28th.
YAY.
That deserves a moment.
There are still things to maintain, of course. There always are. Watering, weeding, feeding, checking, adjusting, tying, thinning, watching, troubleshooting, and learning as we go.
But the big seasonal push of getting plants into the garden is complete.
That feels really good.
Hoping the Garden Fabric Earns Its Place
Please Garden Fabric…keep the weeds away!
Another investment I made this year was a thick, higher-quality garden fabric barrier.
And I am really hoping it becomes one of the best decisions of the season.
Last year’s weeding nearly wore me completely out. By the time it was time to start preparing for this year’s garden, I was honestly still carrying a little “weeding trauma.”
The discouragement was real.
It is hard to explain unless you have been there — when the weeds feel like they are winning, when your body is tired, when the work never seems to stay done, and when the garden you love starts to feel overwhelming.
But I overcame that discouragement enough to try again, and this year I made some changes.
The seed organizers may currently be holding the title for best investment of the season, but this garden fabric could become the runner up.
Or it may surpass them entirely.
We shall see.
Farm Stand Joy
The farm stand is up and running, and this part of the season has been such a gift.
I have met so many new people and thoroughly enjoyed catching up with repeat customers.
One of the most humbling parts has been hearing feedback about last year’s garden starts — how well they produced, how strong they were, and how much people enjoyed growing them.
That kind of feedback means so much.
When you start seeds, nurture them, pot them up, harden them off, label them, tend them, and send them off to other homes, you hope they do well. You hope they thrive. You hope they bring joy and nourishment to the people who take them home.
So hearing that they did just that has been such an encouragement.
I have also received such kind compliments about the health of this year’s starts and the variety available.
And the medicinal plants?
People have been so excited.
This year’s medicinal plant starts have included Anise, Hyssop, Valerian, Mugwort, St. John’s Wort, Bergamot, Marshmallow, Ashwagandha, Wormwood, and more.
Watching people light up over plants is one of my favorite things.
There is curiosity there.
There is connection there.
There is memory there.
There is learning there.
And it reminds me again why Root2Rise is so deeply connected to the garden.
Dreaming of the Apothecary Garden
Current Draft of Apothecary Design Submitted for Build Out Quote
One of the things I am most excited about is the next garden patch.
I recently designed a circular Apothecary Garden and submitted it to a local landscaper for a quote to build it out.
This garden would sit near the edge of the urban homestead, where trail walkers could enjoy it too.
That part matters to me.
I love the idea of creating something that is not just functional for Root2Rise, but also beautiful and inviting for others who pass by.
A space full of medicinal plants.
A circular garden design.
A place that feels rooted, intentional, and alive.
A place where people can pause, look, wonder, and maybe feel a little more connected to the plants growing around them.
Could we build it ourselves?
Maybe.
But between remodeling our home, working our corporate America jobs, running a nonprofit organization, being grandparents, keeping up with the garden, and all the other pieces of life — our time and energy are already spoken for.
Sometimes wisdom looks like asking for help.
And I am learning to be okay with that.
Rooted, Growing & Still Learning
This season has been full of practical wins, small experiments, big dreams, and everyday reminders that growth is rarely one single thing.
It is organizing seeds.
It is trying TikTok.
It is watching cats wander through the garden.
It is celebrating rhubarb starts.
It is finishing the planting push.
It is investing in better systems.
It is opening the farm stand.
It is listening to customers.
It is dreaming of an Apothecary Garden that others can enjoy too.
Root2Rise continues to grow in the middle of real life.
Not perfectly.
Not without learning curves.
Not without sore muscles, full schedules, and the occasional garden drama.
But steadily.
