As some of us scramble to get prepared for the Thanksgiving holiday, I couldn’t help thinking about my Victory Garden. I feel I have some thanking to do for the garden’s success, and thought it would be appropriate to mention the people or things that deserve credit.

Thanks to the sun and rain for being the lifeline that the plants need to grow.

Thanks to sunscreen and bug repellent for making the time outside more enjoyable.

Thanks to the hundreds of earthworms, millions of microbes, and countless other critters that work tirelessly to improve the soil and shrink my compost piles.

Thanks to the bees that help pollinate the blossoms of my tomatoes, cukes and melons.

Thanks to lady bugs, mantises, nematodes and other beneficial organisms for waging the seemingly endless war against disease and plant damage.

Thanks to my heat mats for giving my seeds a warm, comfy start.

Thanks to organic mulch in all its forms. It is truly the blanket and comforter my flower beds appreciate.

Thanks to my cold frame for protecting my transplants from the biting cold winter.

Thanks to small local businesses that carry an awesome selection of organic gardening products. A green gardener’s candy store.

Thanks to my trusty garden tools for saving my back and allowing me to get my garden tasks done more efficiently.

Thanks to all the gardeners in my local community garden. You are my extended family and green thumb mentors.

Thanks to all of the talented gardening authors, writers and bloggers. Your books and posts fill our minds with invaluable knowledge.

Thanks to the employees and volunteers of the local food pantries for helping those in need year round. You are the unsung heroes on the front line of community giving.

Thanks to my dog Pal for all of his loving companionship in the garden.

Thanks to my parents for nurturing and supporting my gardening passion as a young lad.

And finally, thanks to Ruth, Steve, Brandi, Michelle, Danielle, Kelley, Jillian, et al. at Taunton Press for allowing me to express my gardening passion with you on the Internet stage. You’ve helped discover a writer in me.

Happy Thanksgiving wishes to all of you.

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