THE OPTIMISTIC FARMER-May 2026
- theoptimisticfarme
- 21 hours ago
- 3 min read
2026 May Edition
Tall and (Small) Tales from the Great Basin of Northeast Nevada
"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished."
Lao Tzu
Well, if you are reading this, you have made it to May! It could be argued that May is the best month of spring, but if Mother Nature reminded you who was boss in April, she is good at doing that in May as well, so remain cautious about planting cold-sensitive plants until all chance of frost is at least less likely! That said, what a fun month May is for the gardener and lover of flowers — the show is about to commence!!
News from the Garden
There is nothing but good news from the garden — it is MAY!!! Things are definitely popping and things should be warming up this month! If you are brave and plant tomatoes, squash, and peppers during a warm spell, just be prepared to cover them if the temperatures dip! Otherwise, things are definitely starting to make an appearance, so enjoy the days!
Innovations and Ideas
Lilacs are in full splendor this time of year, and compost is a great way to fertilize them and keep the aromatic beauties in bloom! Fertilize with compost early in the spring if you remember — put some around the base and it will slowly release its nutrients with spring rains and waterings!
Compost at the base for blooms in your vase!
Inner Work
May implies permission, as in yes, you may! This month, give yourself permission to smile, smell the flowers, and if you are lucky enough to live in the vicinity of sage, definitely allow yourself to appreciate the smell after a spring rain!
Plants in Science:
The Plants in Science section is buzzing off course this month, kind of, sort of, and we will be looking closer at the science behind bee hives! Everybody knows how important pollinators are to gardening and bees get nearly top billing in the pollinator category. Did you know that the science of beekeeping is called apiculture! The Latin word for bees is apis, thus the name. The beehive is the natural or a man-made structure and inside is the hive, where all the action happens! The geometric splendor of a beehive is from the hexagonal cells made from beeswax, the hives are the hub of the bee's activities, the cells also act as food storage, wow wouldn't in be great to be a fly on the wall! Beehives can appear in various places so keep your eyes open, if you run across a rogue beehive contact your local extension office and they can probably give you the names of some beekeepers in the area! Remember bees are good, wasps are a story of another day!
Last, but Not Least: Hanging out to dry!
This next section may be for the hard-core gardener, but even a smaller garden may produce an abundance of herbs. If so, something like the picture below can fall into the want it, want it, need it category! There is hanging clothes out to dry and there is hanging herbs out to dry — and who isn't looking for another use for clothespins!! You can go extravagant like the drying rack below, or make a small one with string; the options are endless! The best part is a little patience and voila, you are left with jars of dried herbs for your favorite recipes! So, plant your herb garden — parsley, chives, thyme, and sage are all good candidates — and with a little TLC they will be the gift that keeps on giving!
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