Sherry is back today with her third post for The Gardening Project!
Hello one and all!
Well, I finally got that long border all dug up and weeded. Those last few feet were probably the hardest-my back and knees thought I’d never get finished! It was a lot of digging- 11 hours- and I still have to add the compost, replant the peonies and dig in a few tulip bulbs my sister gave to me. The compost and mulch might have to wait until next spring.
I did get some help- our 11year old son helped by dumping the weed cart for me a few times.
The first time he pushed it down to the dump pile; after that he tied it to the back of our 4-wheeler and drove it down. Much more fun for him, though I feared for the wheels on my cart!
While I was doing all that digging I had lots of time to think, and I had an epiphany of sorts- I don’t manage time well, at all. Using a planner is a new skill for me, learning how to use it properly is not coming easy. Until January of this year, I used a month at a glance pocket calendar for appointments, and all other planning was non-existent, really, just list out big projects, then do them- eventually. I know I waste time, and I procrastinate. Bad combination! As a stay at home mom for about 27 of our 37 years, I have fallen into the trap of “tomorrow”, I can do it tomorrow. I know- tomorrow never comes, there is only now, so I’m learning how to plan.
Then I began wondering what could I do differently that could help keep this garden project on track? So I came up with a simple project page for the Ordning och Reda planner for the next flower beds I’m tackling.
I titled the page “Project:” with space to write in what the project is. In the photo it is the South Flower Bed.
I write down the objective I have for the project, and break the project down into steps I need to do to get the project accomplished. On the project page for the south flower bed I came up with five steps. This space can be expanded as much as needed.
At the left of the page there is a space to check off each completed step, and at the bottom I have room for notes. The page was inserted behind the south bed tab in the lovely Ordning och Reda planner with the rough drawing I made on graph paper of the flower bed. A bonus: this page can be easily adapted to any project I might choose to do.
Will it help keep me in track with this garden project? Time will tell!
‘til next time.
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