Dreaming of Gardening…

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Miracle-Gro Organic Choice for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

We’ve reached the time of the year when cabin fever has set in… Can you relate? It’s been a cold and snowy winter. We’ve had a few glorious days of warmer weather, but the short preview of spring has only made the cold days seem even colder.

Being cooped up in the house with a toddler all week has me just itching to get out. I can’t wait to get out for a walk or a spin on her new tricycle (a Christmas present that has been stuck in the garage!).  I’m also really looking forward to planting a garden together. Last year, the kiddo was too young to play outside all that much. This year, though, I know she is going to have a blast playing in the yard and digging in the dirt. Getting dirty is what kids should do.

Earlier this week, as I was looking out at my snowy yard and daydreaming and planning our garden for the summer, I made the decision to share more about my gardening here on my blog. My garden is primarily for veggies and herbs, though I do usually plant some flowers, too. There is nothing I love more than picking a fresh tomatoes and basil to toss with pasta or sauteing zucchini and bell peppers that came right from the garden. While it may sound a bit cliche, you can’t beat eating garden-to-table.

Strangely enough, just as I was daydreaming about gardening, I got an email about an opportunity to write about Miracle-Gro Organic Choice products from Scotts. I’ve always been very cautious about the gardening soils and plant foods that I buy. After all, if you’re concerned about buying organic produce at the store and farmer’s market, you’d be silly to put chemicals into your own garden.

I haven’t personally used the Miracle-Gro Organic Choice products yet, so I decided to do some research. I typically don’t write about anything that I haven’t already put to the test, but this seemed like a good exception. After all, I know there are a lot of people interested in gardening (even if it’s just growing a pot of herbs on your kitchen window!), especially organic gardening. So, here’s what I found out –

• As the name suggests, the products are organic. That means your herbs, vegetables, and fruit won’t be absorbing chemicals, pesticides, and other chemicals from the soil, which means healthier food for you.
• In addition to being healthy for you, using organic products is also healthy for the environment. All of those chemicals don’t just hang out in your backyard, but they find their ways into the ground and eventually into streams and rivers. I think we can all agree that’s not such a great idea.

The Miracle-Gro Organic Choice product line includes potting mix, planting soil (for in-ground plants), and plant food… And, they will be available at major retailers, making it even easier to grow a great garden this summer. I’m really looking forward to giving it a try!

As soon as I get my hands on some, my first step is going to be to plant some herbs in pots inside to hold me over until I can start planting outside. I’ve found that the planted organic herbs that are available at the grocery store do well on my kitchen window. I simply replant them in a pot with some fresh potting soil and make sure they get plenty of sun and water. I’m dreaming of fresh Lemon Herb Hummus for snacking and some Basil Pesto to toss with pasta or slather on crostini.

Of course, as soon as I can see the ground again, I’m going to be getting my garden ready, and I’m looking forward to giving the organic soil a try. I’m looking forward to fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini.  I’m also hoping to try something new this summer… Perhaps I’ll give eggplant a try. I’ll keep you posted!

Tell me… Are you planning a garden this summer? What do you love to grow? Are you going to try anything new this summer?