planting salmon impression + pink impression darwin hybrid tulips

This week, I chatted with Paul of to talk about the process of pursuing meaningful work, planning for a career change, and what to do when you feel the pull of doing something new. I haven’t talked much about the realities of leaving a successful career behind and adapting to a new lifestyle, but we did here and it was a great time. ‘Tis the season for reflection and I hope you enjoy and share with anyone else who needs a little encouragement.

TURMERIC THINGS

This summer, my friend Gabe gifted me a turmeric plant. 🪴 This was really the best gift as I’ve wanted to grow it for years but it hasn’t crossed my path and I hadn’t taken the time to seek it out either.

nice lil fact: turmeric thrives in warm climates, summer heat, and high humidity, so the southeast/southwest loves it. ☀️

Irresponsibly, I stuck it in the only place I had available and without much thought or research. I pulled it up today to harvest it. As with many things in the garden, I plant on a whim, make hasty harvest moves, don’t love the results, THEN do my research — and have a much more successful second year.

Gabe, if you’re reading this, which I hope you aren’t, I owe you. I’m now hooked on turmeric and am dedicated to a bumper crop next year — and have already staked out an 3x6 space for a tiny turmeric forest. This year I just learned all my lessons. 🤦🏻‍♀️

frost damage to the foliage above ground. harvest just before or after frost, otherwise rhizomes will rot in the ground. this was in a very insulated part of the yard so i could wait a little longer than usual.

i’m going to save some of the offshoot rhizomes in the basement for next year’s planting by washing, drying, and wrapping them in saran wrap + storing them in a cool/dark place just like my dahlias.

Okay — here’s what I wish I’d done differently for more success:

GROW IT YEAR ROUND

Turmeric is a perennial for Zones 8-11. I’m in 7 — just on the cusp! However, it’s an amazing container plant and I wish I’d just dug it up into a large pot and put it in my sunroom over the winter since it got a late start and stayed small. You can harvest rhizomes from it (carefully) without digging up the entire plant. Edible perennials are rare in the garden and I really like the idea of having the same plant to pull from for years and years.

GROW IN FULL SUN

Both ginger and turmeric will grow in 2-5 hours of sun. Another rarity in the garden! I did put it in a partial sun location where it lived happily, but the rhizome production was very low and studies show that the more sun = the more rhizomes. So my new turmeric spot is ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️ ☀️

PLANT IT EARLY

Turmeric can go in the ground right after the last frost in spring, and ideally it has 7-10 months to mature before harvest. I planted it in late June this past year and am curious to see how many more rhizomes it produces if it goes in a couple months earlier. Count back 10 months from an early fall freeze and get it started inside then. I added it to my Monthly Maintenance Calendar so I don’t forget!

TRY GROWING FROM THE GROCERY STORE

If you purchase high quality organic turmeric, you can sprout it! Soak it in water for 24 hours first, just in case it’s been treated with a sprout retardant. A rhizome needs at least 6 weeks to sprout in a 72-80 degree environment, so I would like to start it two-three full months before my last frost — in February.

THINGS I DID RIGHT

I planted it in rich soil with great drainage….and made sure it stayed hydrated all summer. But then when I dug it up today I found a massive bamboo root directly up against it. 😤 For new readers, we spent the first year in our new home renting an excavator and removing a massive amount of bamboo, digging a 3’ deep trench and installing a poly-wall to keep it at bay. This one damn root must have been left behind and was hiding directly where my turmeric was, so it likely stole most of the moisture and nutrients for itself.

this is how i know max loves me. i don’t think he will ever do anything harder. also, this was in august 🥵 (2019).

most of the backyard was also concrete driveway that was cracked and full of potholes. it now looks like this:

THINGS I LIKED THIS WEEK

Boaz’s photo tour of Mexico City and the city jungle-vibes. Why can’t American cities do this?
Best Of Winston featured me & my garden - how cute! Leslie Williams took the photos and I love them. Here are some more.
The 2023 Whole Seed Catalog is now available!
Planting 1500 tulip bulbs. I actually did not love this? 😂 It was very hard so if you try to plant bulbs and the ground is wet just stop and reschedule. Even if you have to put 1500 bulbs up off the ground and put them back in the crate and start over later. But I am going to love it x100000 in the spring.
I learned how to turn all my laptop folders into tiny cows 🐄
“If you are silent about your pain, they’ll kill you and say you enjoyed it.” - Zora Neal Hurston
My buddy Jeremy got me this waterproof notebook for my birthday!

LOVE YA, EAT YOUR FAVORITE MEAL, TAKE A NAP, SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!

Lauren 🦃 🍁 🥃

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👩🏻‍🌾 turmeric, before/afters, & my lil…