I did manage to wait until Memorial Day to start my food garden. Eric and I set up a couple of raised beds on the lower level of our backyard. We hope to cultivate a great garden/ entertaining area down there as time rolls along, but the first step was to get these gardens going.
I have long dreamed of a decent garden space and I finally have something that is really and truly my own to work with.This year I mostly planted foods that I am absolutely certain we will eat, but I hope to branch out a bit more in the years to come, to try some fun new foods as well.
In early July, as long as I am not in labor, I plan to attend a little workshop on canning. I am really excited about all of this. What a great treat for me and such a fun learning experience for Cordelia as well. She has been really confused about how all of these seeds will someday be our food. I can't wait to see her little hands picking fresh fruit and veggies that she will help me to prep in the kitchen.
Do you garden? Any tips?
7 comments:
I grew up on a farm and we had a huge garden with all sorts of veggies, even corn! The best part was the weeding.... just kidding! The best part was going into the garden, grasping the leaves of a carrot, gently pulling it out of the ground, and brushing off the dirt with my hand...then eating it right there on the spot! So sweet those carrots were compared to store-bought ones!
Looking good! Be sure to check your plants often for aphids and other leaf-biters...and remove them or the sick plant immediately...I'm just sayin' Have fun!
I was thinking about gardening just this morning on the way to work. I just don't know how to do it, and it breaks my mother's heart, as she calls it a "family tradition for the women in our family." I think part of the reason I don't do it is because I'm deathly afraid of finding snakes. Seriously. I flirt with the idea of just trying some hearty herbs in a small pot on the porch that would be hard to kill, but I'm not sure where to start with that, either. Oh, and I live in an apartment, of course. Hmm.
Canning's another thing that seems so cool and frugal and healthy. My grandma swears it couldn't be easier. I wish I'd helped her do it years ago when she would do it; she doesn't anymore. Perhaps Dad and I could do it at her house this fall and she could just hang out and supervise? :-)
Oh, and the rest of the thinking-about-gardening story from this morning...I actually thought about you and your mom! I was thinking of all the cool people who garden. Truly! :-)
My veggie plants have been living in my greenhouse until time to plant outdoors. I just got my bell peppers in the ground this afternoon! 10 yellow bells, and 10 red bells. I will also grow yellow squash and cucumbers in the garden, but the plants are still a little small. Since they grow best with heat, I'll let them stay in the greenhouse a bit longer. This year, my tomatoes are staying in the greenhouse, and are in large pots. I have the best luck with my tomato crop when I do this, rather than having them in the garden. I think it must be because they really love heat too, and they do very well in pots.
Lucky! A canning workshop!! My garden will have to wait another year, by the time I get home it will be past the planting season. Looking forward to seeing yours though :)
Indeed a very interesting post. My garden is rewarding me very well. It looks really lovely. :)
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