It’s a great pleasure to welcome American author J.Q. Rose to my blog today for the launch of her memoir, Arranging a Dream. J.Q. Rose has been a friend ever since we were at the same publishing house, and our friendship has grown over our love of gardens. (You can read my first interview with J.Q. here.)
Thanks for coming to my blog, J.Q. Good to have you here!
Getting Ready for Spring: Nine Gardening Tips, by J.Q. Rose
Thank you, Helena, for hosting Ted and me during the Arranging a Dream: A Memoir Virtual Winter Book Tour. My book is about the first year my husband, Gardener Ted, and I were in the flower business.
Ted grew up on a farm and the farmer side of him was deeply-rooted. He loved growing plants.That’s why we purchased a greenhouse operation in 1975. He figured he wasn’t at the mercy of the weather by growing crops indoors. To this day he continues to live his dream to garden twelve months out of the year because we spend summers in Michigan and winters in Florida. We put together some tips on gardening in a guide, Quick Tips on Vegetable Gardening: Starting Your Vegetable Garden.
During the stop at Helena’s blog, a lucky commenter will win an eBook of the Gardening guide and another lucky commenter will win an eBook of Arranging a Dream: A Memoir.
Today, Ted is sharing some tips on getting ready for spring gardening.
Get Ready for Spring Gardening: Excerpt from Quick Tips on Vegetable Gardening: Starting Your Vegetable Garden by J.Q. Rose with Gardener Ted
You’re ready to get outside and dig in your garden and get some dirt under your nails after thumbing through those colorful seed catalogs. Alas, after looking out the window or walking outdoors, you realize there is no way that spring is close.
So, what do you do to chase away those can’t-garden blues? Get up and get going. Use this time to get ready for spring gardening.
1. Clean out pots/containers that you will need for transplanting.
2. Inventory for transplanting–such as seed-starting soil, ingredients for mixing soil, cell packs, warming mats, lights.
3. Clean and sharpen tools.
4. Find your soil test report from the extension office. Make a list of suggested amendments to improve your garden soil.
5. Inventory seeds left from last year (and pitch the way out-of-date seeds.) Make a list of the ones you will need for the garden you are planning this year.
6. Look over your journal from last year and make notes for improving this year’s garden. If you didn’t keep a journal, look into ways of keeping one for this coming year. It can be a spiral book for jotting notes or something you use online. Decide what will work best for you.
7. Go through photos from last year and organize them into digital folders that make sense. Group photos of the tomatoes in one, beans in another, etc. You may even want to play with making a movie of your garden using PowerPoint or other programs.
8. Look for and organize recipes you want to try this year using your fresh garden produce
9. The last option is to watch YouTube gardeners to discover new plants, new technology and innovative methods in growing vegetables.
Before you know it you will be out in the dirt again. Oh, maybe you should add to the list–buy some Ben Gay and a hot pad for your aching back!
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More about J.Q. Rose
Whether the story is fiction or non-fiction, J.Q. Rose is “focused on story.” She offers readers chills, giggles and quirky characters woven within the pages of her mystery novels. Her published mysteries are Deadly Undertaking, Terror on Sunshine Boulevard and Dangerous Sanctuary released by Books We Love Publishing. Using her storytelling skills, she provides entertainment and information with articles featured in books, magazines, newspapers, and online magazines.
J.Q. taught elementary school for several years and never lost the love for teaching passed down from her teacher grandmother and mother. She satisfies that aspect of her character by presenting workshops on Writing Your Life Story.
Based on the lessons taught in her workshops, JQ created a book, Your Words, Your Life Story: a Journal for Sharing Memories to help life storytellers write, publish and market their stories. She decided to take her advice and pen her memoir, Arranging a Dream: A Memoir.
If you would like to write or record your life story/memoir, check out the Facebook Group, Telling Your Life Story and Memoirs Circle for encouragement and ways to spark memories. Click here to join.
Blogging, photography, Pegs and Jokers board games and travel are the things that keep JQ out of trouble. She and her husband spend winters in Florida and summers up north with their two daughters, two sons-in-law, four grandsons, one granddaughter, two grand dogs, four grand cats, and one great-grand bearded dragon.
Here’s where to connect online with J.Q:
Blog / Facebook / Amazon Author Page / Goodreads / Pinterest / Books We Love
And here’s some more about Arranging a Dream: A Memoir
In 1975, budding entrepreneurs Ted and Janet purchase a floral shop and greenhouses where they plan to grow their dream. Leaving friends and family behind in Illinois and losing the security of two paychecks, they transplant themselves, their one-year-old daughter, and all their belongings to Fremont, Michigan, where they know no one.
Will the retiring business owners nurture Ted and Janet as they struggle to develop a blooming business, or will they desert the inexperienced young couple to wither and die in their new environment?
Most of all, can Ted and Janet grow together as they cultivate a loving marriage, juggle parenting with work, and root a thriving business?
Follow this couple’s inspiring story, filled with the joy and triumphs and the obstacles and failures experienced as they travel along the turbulent path of turning dreams into reality.
Arranging a Dream Buy link
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Thanks so much for your visit and your useful gardening tips, J.Q, and many congratulations on release of your memoir. It sounds a fascinating and uplifting account, and I’m really looking forward to reading it.
Do you enjoy gardening? What do you do while waiting for spring to arrive? If you’ve enjoyed JQ’s post, or have any gardening questions for her, please let us know. (And don’t forget two lucky commenters will receive copies of J.Q. Rose’s memoir or her handy book of gardening tips!)
Helena Fairfax 
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