A Southern Gentleman Is

...all about the Lawn & Garden

BY TIM KEARNS

April showers bring May flowers...or so we’re told. Springtime means kicking the mower into gear - oil change, sharpen blade, tune-up and getting back out in the yard. By now, the preemergent has been applied on the grass and beds to help keep the weeds at bay for the next six months or so. Depending on the type of grass you have, the work may have already begun (i.e., fescue), or for the warm season turf (Bermuda, Centipede or Zoysia), the grass doesn’t start turning green until the soil temperatures get into the mid fifties.

For those of us who planted tulips last fall, you’ve seen them come and go already. But we have had a tricky spring this year where unexpected frosty mornings required us to cover the flower bed in the evening and uncover again in the mornings...over and over and over! Everyone waits for the magical last frost date. And I think... spring is truly finally here! Now you should have plenty of nice days to get a head start on whatever your plans might be.

Given the current environment and all the things happening that are out of our control, it may be a great time to start that backyard garden you’ve always talked about. Obviously being healthy is critical, not just because of the threat of public illness, but it should be the lifestyle you want for you and your family! Having access to your own vegetables, grown by your own hand, picked fresh for a family meal is a way of life we have enjoyed for a few years. One weekend, I had just taken down some hemlock’s that bit the dust, leaving a large space with full sun right outside our kitchen window. On a whim, Bess and I drove to a local supply store and bought some treated 2 x 6 boards, soil, fertilizer and vegetable plants. After about three hours of work, we were 60 SPRING 2020

ready to grow our own food! Our one-year-old grandson Palmer now enjoys going to the garden with his “Nonna and Poppy” to weed, water or pick fresh green vegetables for dinner. I think the process also encourages him to try things he might not have eaten previously. Between the many garden centers, box stores and the local Farmer’s Co-op; you can find a great selection of the fruits, vegetables or herbs you’ll want to see on your dinner plate. If you’ve never had a green thumb or are hesitant about the labor behind building a raised garden or planting your own garden, you have help! I have a great friend, Jeremy Lekich, who owns Nashville Foodscapes; he has a team of designers and installers who are educated, experienced and ready to help you plan/plant a garden. I can share from my own experience, there is great pride in growing your own food and I promise you it just plain tastes better!

Don’t spend all your time in the dirt! There are many farms offering a CSA (Consumer Supported Agricultural) basket on a weekly basis. If you don’t have the space or a green thumb, it’s the perfect way to get your fresh vegetables and help support a local grower. If you can’t find something fun or constructive to do with your extra time at home, creating a raised garden could be an option! I hope you’ll see this southern gentleman and Bess out and about, if you do say hey or maybe give an “elbow bump.” Y’all please stay safe!

TIM KEARNS A Southern Gentleman Is... Tim is a Williamson County business owner who lives, works and plays all within the county limits. He has been a triathlete for thirty-three years and married to Bess Kearns for thirty-two years. All of his commitments are for the long haul!

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