A Garden Post

Do you remeber when spring was in the air and I had all sorts of crazy ambitions about putting in an in ground vegtable garden?

Well...it kinda didn't happen, yet. It's alot of work having a baby around, and I didn't have the energy. And then there was the trip to Lowes that almost broke my husbands back. And then as the leaves came in on the trees, I realized I didn't have 6 hours of sunlight, but about 5 in the spot I had picked. And I kept looking for the right spot. And well, the box for the raised bed has moved around alot. I think I may have finally settled on a spot. But it being hot, the 7 bags of garden soil are still sitting in the garage, and I think maybe we will do fall garden, or maybe we will set up the soil and let it overwinter and start off fresh next spring?

But I still have the container garden on the balcony to talk about. And it is a jungle up there, right outside my kitchen, where there is plenty of sunshine, and I get to look out on it every day from the kitchen sink.

Let's see. I have two big old tomato plants, loaded with tomatoes. They are just starting to turn, and I am watching them everyday. The tomatoes are big time drinkers. I fill up their resevoir everyday to the brim, and they still sort of wilt midday if it's reall hot. They are completely empty of water every morning.

Then there are the two squash plants. One is a green zuccinni, and one is called golden egg. They are huge and growing out of their container. They got battered pretty good in the storm, but seem to be holding thier own now. I've already harvested off of them, and they seem to be averaging a new good sized fruit per week each. Sometimes its two little ones, but you get the idea.

Also a success are the eggplant, called fairytale hybrid. They have the most delicate little flowers, and they seem to really like the containers. This is a dwarf variety that gives the cutest little tiny purple and white speckled fruit. I 've started harvesting off these too, and they are tasty.

These pictures were taken several weeks ago, and it is amazing to me how quick things change out there when the sun is sunny ( and storms are blowy).

We tried some green beans, but it's awful hard to get a decent harvest in such a small space. I am rethinking this for next year. Same thing for peas. The strawberries and still hanging in there, and I deciding wether to keep them for next year, or plant some herbs in their boxes, or some mixture of both.

The garden is a learning experience. I feel like every year I do this I get a little better at it. It is as with many things important not to take your failures to heart. We will get a small harvest this year, but it will be stuff we like to eat. And next year who knows?