Summer Gardening Update

Gardening is something that's in my blood. My grandparents gardened, my dad gardened so it would stand to reason that I would garden also. Of course I'm gardening on a much smaller scale than those who came before me, but considering that it's my first attempt and I have a serious lack of space here, I don't think it's going too badly.

I'm already making note of changes that I want to make next year (item #1, buy enough dirt). I didn't get enough this year so one of my square foot gardens didn't get planted and now I'm regretting it because there are other veggies and plants I would have liked to have had.

Another note to self: Find a stronger trellis for the tomato plants next year! Even though my dad and grandparents gardened, I guess I never really paid attention as a kid, so I grossly underestimated the weight of tomato vines, dang those things are heavy! I bought this little wire trellis thing at Lowes and as soon as the plants started growing the poor little thing just couldn't withstand the weight and snapped and is now leaning precariously. The good news is, we have 20 tomatoes!

Here is my sage...I love the smell of sage. It reminds me of my Grandma Kathryn and fall and Thanksgiving. It's not gotten very big but I'm hoping to have enough to cut and dry for seasoning things.

Another note to self: Next year get more pepper plants and in a few different varieties. If you look very closely, you can see down at the bottom the lone little jalapeno on the plant. I sure hope we get more than just the one...there are still several blooms so I'm hopeful.

Excuse me waiter, there's a fly on my dill plant...

I'm happy to report that the marigolds have done well as far as keeping the bugs off of the plants...well except for Mr. Fly on the dill...and the rest of the herbs are doing wonderfully too. I totally messed up the lettuce this year and didn't thin it in time and it choked itself out, so no lettuce crop to speak of. I also have a mystery plant that I don't remember what it was growing so I guess that will be a surprise if and when it produces anything. I'll keep you posted!

Is anyone else growing anything this year? How's it going?

Wordless Wednesday

First Ripe Tomatoes of the Season

Well the one on the right isn't "quite" ripe

but the little neighbor girl picked

it too soon, so we'll put it out to ripen.

Gardening with the Kiddos

I knew I wanted to put a garden (or three) in this year so I went shopping yesterday for the supplies we would need. I didn't buy enough dirt for all 3 of my gardens, but we at least got 2 done today. Here's Keegs dragging some dirt to the back yard.

Liam opted to spend most of his gardening time doing this and Keegan, who was the one who wanted to do the garden in the first place, lost interest shortly after he realized it was WORK and at least managed to entertain Liam.

He did manage to come around again when actual tools were involved. I'm not sure why he needs his tongue sticking out to do anything that resembles work...see above photo also.
Jaidie and Miss Priss were good helpers. Here they are after putting the tomato plants in.

Here is our herb/salad garden with a rhubarb plant also. We've got basil, oregano, cilantro, lavender, rosemary, chives, dill, sage, spinach and lettuce in this one.

Miss Priss asked for a rose bush, so we obliged and got her this one and put it out by the driveway. She was pretty mad that she didn't actually get to help plant it but dang, that thing was thorny...

Here are my potted impatients, impatiens, I can't ever remember which it is....

And a hanging basket of those also for the screened in front porch...

Since we didn't have enough dirt to do the 3rd garden, I went ahead and planted the seeds to get seedlings for when I can finish things up. Here are the zucchini and cantaloupe...

And then green onions and cucumbers in this one. I think I might need another trellis too...not sure yet.
I also planted some ground cover plants and a couple of butterfly bushes. All in all, everything turned out great and it's supposed to rain the next couple of days so I didn't bother to water, yet. My dad loved to garden and I think on his birthday weekend he would have been happy to see the grandkids out digging in the dirt.

A Strange Request

This is my "Peanut". He's 7 and getting ready to turn 8 in June. Since the boys' birthdays are all in the summertime, once spring starts rolling around, the discussion of "what I want for my birthday" begins.

We made a short run to Wal-mart Friday night and he says, "Mom, can we go to the Garden Center and buy some plants?" I said, "Not tonight buddy, it's supposed to snow all weekend long." He says, "Well that's what I want for my birthday." I was distracted and trying to get what we needed and get out and said, "You want what for your birthday?" (thinking he was looking at a toy or something in passing) He says, "Plants. I want plants for my birthday." All righty then...

He does love working outside in the yard with me and here's a picture of him planting some mums in the fall. He loves digging in the dirt. One year I got him his own little set of gardening tools and he LOVED them.



Granted, I'd love to get some new plants for the yard and such but it seems kind of like cheating him if he gets them for his birthday so I thought maybe something like a mini terrarium or something for his room? If anyone has any great ideas, I'm open to any and all suggestions.