Meet My Garden
April 14, 2010
Well, folks, I am just bustin’ at the seams with gardening excitement and anticipation right now! The problem is that I am an utter novice when it comes to gardening, and I don’t care. Instead of reading and learning everything I should before I start my garden, I am the type to just run out, start digging in the dirt, and toss a bunch of seeds around willy-nilly! But we shall see what becomes of this method, and I’m not too proud to be prepared to learn from my mistakes. Anyway, here’s my back-yard garden (veggies and herbs) so far as of early April:
cute little onion rows
baby cherry tomato plants
oregano and rosemary that had been cooped up inside all winter. they are much happier now.
early bloomer tomato
mr. cilantro and ms. parsley are quite the modern pair of herbs. they each need their own space.
Okay, I know that last picture just looks like dirt in a square plot divided by a stick, but it’s really parsley and cilantro. One of them is sprouting in the lower right-hand corner, can you see it if you squint? I also plan to plant okra back there, but I will wait until next week to sew those seeds. Maaaaaaaan, I’ve got a boner just thinking about the bounty!!!
Since I planted all this stuff, I started to become slightly obsessed with reading about gardening. My favorite lately is reading about edible landscaping. Apparently, a long time ago and somewhere in Europe, society people decided that edible food belonged in the backyard and front-yard gardens were only for ornamental plants, flowers, trees, and shrubs. The logic was that wealthy individuals could show off their position in society through a façade that was merely ornamental instead of practical. They could show off the fact that they didn’t have to grow their own food, they could just buy it. Also, they liked to show off how much disposable income they had to pay yard servants to care for the estate’s lawn and garden, cuz gawdknows they weren’t gonna create or maintain the garden with their own ivory hands. They’d rather look at it, sit in it, “enjoy” it. Pshaw!
And so, in a rebellious act of unmatched proportions, this year I will also plant edibles in my front yard! Because not only are edible berry (blueberry, blackberry, strawberry) bushes awesome, they are beautiful! More on this project as it unfolds. (And just in case you were wondering, i will be using NO inorganic chemical sprays, *cough* pesticides, or *cough* fertilizers. *COUGH!*)
What about YOU, are you planting anything edible this year, my dears? Do tell…
Spring
April 14, 2010 at 12:39 pm
JEALOUS! I can’t garden AT ALL. I remain dumbfounded that squirrels haven’t taken my baby.
April 14, 2010 at 3:40 pm
Unfortunately, my only plot is in pots on a shaded porch, so I can’t grow anything edible (everything edible that grows around here requires full sun). But I do have a couple of little ornamentals that are struggling to recover from the cold winter and my serious lack of watering them, plus a cat mint plant. I need to go get a few more soon.
Btw, the one plant of all these that you will never have to worry about is your rosemary. I don’t think you could kill that stuff if you tried…
April 14, 2010 at 8:04 pm
The little garden center on 31st just west of Yale has all organic stuff for your garden. LOTSA great stuff. Also, I’ve been in touch with Sanders Nursery and they’re now carrying corn meal gluten (used for an organic pre-emergent and fertilizer for lawns). I’m using Mexican bat guano to fertilize my planties and have had good results in spite of the stank that the puppies seem to find so appetizing.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the idea of taking back our front yards. Adam’s been talking about having a garden in our front yard for a few months now. I also have a planty activity up my sleeve. Will post a note about it soon. It’s for everyone, so when I post it, you can put it here too so others can join us. Your garden is beautiful!
April 15, 2010 at 1:17 pm
sarah- good to know about the local gardening centers carrying organic stuff. since i’m not from here originally, i totally rely on smart, kind natives like you for this kind of info- thanks, thanks, thanks!!! also, can’t wait to read about your planting activity! yay!
April 15, 2010 at 4:28 pm
i’m no native! i’m here by way of phoenix by way of chicago. PSSSHHHH.
April 14, 2010 at 8:08 pm
I planted a garden one year in the 1980′s. It was beautiful. I had squash and cantalope and beans and tomatoes….Then came one of those nasty Texas Spring storms and rained down HAIL on all my beautiful plants. Cut them to the ground. Never recovered!!!
But, I will pass one tidbit to you that my grandfather York (1885-1985)gave me. “Plant some Marygold plants around the garden. They are bitter and will discourage tomato worms and other pests.”
April 14, 2010 at 8:27 pm
Aunt Ann- that’s so sad about your lost garden. ugh! but thanks for the advice from grandfather york!!!
April 15, 2010 at 1:18 pm
Wait, he lived to be 100!?!?!?! I’m so excited to know that we have longevity in the genes!
April 14, 2010 at 8:16 pm
I just spent five hours on Monday planting a bunch of seeds with my friend Jesse. Dahlias, sunflowers (yellow and red), columbines, sweet william, watermelon, canteloupe, drinking gourds, african daisy, lillies, johnny jump ups, and blue bell something or others. I will have to send you some pics when they are done. So far there are a couple little green sprouts, but Jesse assures me it will take a while for them to all come out.
April 14, 2010 at 8:29 pm
Yes to pics!!! Awe, Jesse… the Jesse that I met in N.O.?
April 20, 2010 at 2:11 pm
yes, same Jesse. I get to see the little seeds today. We planted them over a week ago. I can’t wait to see what they look like.
April 15, 2010 at 4:14 pm
I bought a bunch of baby plants at SpringFest last Friday: herbs and tomatoes mostly, oh and a miniature rose plant. I transplanted them all and none have them died yet- in fact the rose bush even has 2 new blooms! I’m stoked!
April 17, 2010 at 11:16 pm
Darling garden, Spring!
This year I won’t have much of a garden since I live on the edge of the woods and the critters will eat every last tomato, but I am going to plant what they don’t like–potatoes, gourd squash, and luffa!
April 22, 2010 at 12:27 am
i have three plants in my room that i haven’t killed yet! cactus and succulents!
can’t wait to have my own garden.