A Garden Grows in Torrington!

Plants cry their gratitude for the sun in green joy. ~Terri Guillemets

Nearly every year for the past 4 years, I’ve operated under the delusion that I am capable of growing a garden. In a near-manic state, I raid the local greenhouse of anything I think may be tasty (sometimes encouraged to buy more than I plan upon, thanks to the strategic placement of aromatic herbs) and the fantasy is renewed. I am a gardener.

Then I forget to water the plants, the dog starts to help herself to the harvests, and I find myself sitting on the patio with a drink in hand, wondering how this happened in the first place.

The truth is that I once worked for a national mail-order nursery. From 1996-2001, I entered orders, answered customer service calls, dispensed horticultural knowledge, and even dabbled on their website for a bit. Me. I know. It’s a scary thought.

I didn’t walk away from the experience without having gained something, though. Deep down inside, the knowledge still exists on how to cultivate a garden and do it well. I just need a little more practice in applying that knowledge.

Luckily, OXO came to my aid this year!

Did you know that OXO makes garden tools? They’ve applied their awesome design to your essential gardening tools, helping you make your garden grow. Their tools are comfortable to hold, strong enough to withstand season after season of hard work, and they look nice, too. (Like that watering can–love it!) It shouldn’t be all work, no play in the garden, after all!

My daughter and son joined in on this year’s adventure. They’re also the reason why our trip to the nursery cost me about a week’s worth of groceries. My son insisted upon Brussels sprouts. My daughter wanted cilantro. They both were excited to show me the mojito mint–they know their mom too well. Purple peppers, sugar pumpkins, yellow squash, pickling cucumbers, and 3 varieties of tomatoes soon joined the culinary herbs in our cart. This was turning into a bigger job than I anticipated.

Back home, my daughter carried the 40-pound bags of compost up the stairs to our garden by herself–an impressive feat for a 10-year-old–and helped me tackle the weeds. Perhaps this time, I won’t leave end of season garden clean-up to wait until next year. Oof!

In no time at all, we had our bounty nestled in our two raised beds, ready to (hopefully) thrive. It would have taken a lot longer to get there without OXO’s help.

I promise. This year, I will do better. This year, the garden will not wither and die. For I’ve given up on container gardening–which required too much remembering to water–and have given myself over to the raised beds. I know we will be successful. There is just nothing like eating what you’ve grown yourself. And we have OXO to thank for encouraging us to try again!

Disclosure: The gardening tools featured in this post were provided by OXO, free of charge. All opinions remain my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make this blog possible.

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Cultivator

• Perfect for stirring and loosening soil, and pulling up weeds
• Constructed of high-quality stainless steel for durability and strength
• Two outer prongs longer than center prong to easily maneuver around plant stems
• Comfortable, two-position handle provides extra strength and reach when striking and pulling

Plow

• Constructed of high-quality stainless steel for durability and strength
• Comfortable, two-position handle provides extra strength and reach while striking
• Serrated edge for cutting roots and opening bags
• Sharpened string cutter

Outdoor Pour and Store Watering Can

• Spout rotates back toward the body for easier filling and space-efficient storage
• Water levels in the clear spout line up with measurement markings on the body for easy measuring
• Continuous soft, non-slip handle for a comfortable, secure grip when carrying and pouring at all heights
• Removable rose attachment stores conveniently in the back of the Can
• 2.11gal/8L capacity
• Comes in green, blue and fuchsia