Every year since I've owned a house I've thought about planting my own garden. I think I may have even attempted it once in my last house. I have just a vague memory of a few tomato plants and some chicken wire, but since that's literally all I can picture I don't think it went well. I must have blocked it out.
So finally, this is the year. Really, it is. I got smart about the whole thing. I had a landscaper put in a small (12x6) raised bed, fill it with lovely soil, and surround it with chicken wire.
Now since the hardest part is done, I am excited about getting the real gardening started. While I truly know virtually nothing about gardening, I think with the head start I have this year I should be able to do OK. I mean, how hard can it be?
I have a rough idea of what I want to grow, and I'm looking forward to picking out the plants. A few pepper plants (jalapeno, habanero, pablano) zucchini, cucumber, some herbs, and a few tomato plants.
We also have a giant cabbage plant that I was hoping to make room for, but after reading about it I think it's going to have to go in its own spot somewhere else. My daughter has named him "Tim" and thinks he is going to have a prime spot in the garden. But he needs 3 feet on each side and that would take up pretty much the whole garden, so he's going to need a separate home.
So wish me luck. I just hope that I have this same motivation when it's 90 degrees outside and humid and the garden needs to be weeded...
6 comments:
Even with nothing in it, I'm jealous! I don't have a green thumb, but if someone (re: husband) would do all that up-front work, I'd probably get my hands dirty.
I used to be the beneficiary of many fresh veggies from a neighbor's beautiful and bountiful garden. Until they moved. One of the first things the man who moved in did was to mow over and destroy the garden. What a shame. It was always so fruitful. I guess he just didn't want to trouble of tending to it.
Good luck with your new venture. I'll expect status reports through summer!
Kathy, I figured that if I posted that I was going to actually do it I would be more likely to actually do it. I do NOT have a green thumb either, but I figured with the hard part already done even I can get something to grow.
I just hope that the assorted rodents that live under my shed (which is right next to the garden) don't outsmart the chicken wire. Large bites taken out of anything I do manage to grow will be very discouraging.
You just gave me an intense craving for fresh, garden tomatoes! Nothing tastes better. :-)
Corrina, I totally agree. I rarely eat fresh tomatoes in the winter because they are usually so disappointing. I can't wait to make my favorite summer sandwich: fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, some basil leaves, a drizzle of olive oil and some kosher salt on crusty bread...yum!
Looks like you're off to a great start! The one pest we have the most trouble with is bunnies. They LOVE to munch our veggies down to nothing before they get the chance to really take off. If you have bunnies, you may find your fence isn't quite high enough to keep them out.
Good luck, and keep us posted!
Jeff, surely you are joking. How in the world could a little bunny get over that fence? Granted, it isn't very high, but I picture a bunny coming up next to it, looking up, and just deciding to move on.
We do have a ton, and I know many live under the shed that is directly next to the garden. I may have to leave my beaglador outside for extended periods of time all summer to patrol the area.
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