Obligatory Garden Post #1

I should be writing a query to find out some information for a manager that I already gave to him once about thirty days ago... but since our e-mail system automatically erases things over thirty days old it's gone. But instead I shall write about...

OUR GARDEN!

Yes, it's back again... bigger and better than ever.


First up is herb row. Last year we found to our surprise out that herb entries in the 4-H fair automatically go to state. So this year each daughter of sowing age has planted FOUR herbs, with the best two of each being submitted. Those devious 4-H rule-writers have caught on to our catching on and are thus making it a requirement to submit a poster with each herb submission. Not to be outdone, I planted a few herbs for home, including spearmint, basil, purple basil, and one other one I forgot. Probably wolfbane. Then, when these slow-germinating seeds are just beginning to sprout, I go to a home center and see well established versions for just a couple bucks each. Grrrrr. Did I buy last year or start from seeds? I'm fairly certain that Brooke submitted a plant that was started from seeds, which I think is a requirement for 4-H, but maybe we started it later in the spring? Since I can't usually remember when I last clipped my toenails I'm not surprised that I can't remember something from a year ago.

Next up in the annual CATBOX GREENS! Yessum, lettuce grows amazingly well in a cat box (with a few holes drilled near the bottom for drainage). We did this last year with mesclun and just one box provided more than two adults could eat. This year we are UPPING THE ANTE by planting half a tray of mesclun, two spinach plants, and one tray of romaine lettuce. And of course it goes without saying that these are brand new cat boxes, never used for their intended purposes.

We're also making another foolish attempt at peas. Last year I tended and cared for two window boxes of peas and after all the work was provided with a very small bowl full of very tasty peas. This year I'm doing the same. Will I ever learn? Does it take a quarter acre of these plants to provide enough for one side dish? I was going to do sugar snap peas but, uh, I forgots.

Also in and growing are carrots. True to my contained gardening mania (thanks, darling, for the inspiration with the Container Gardening for Dummies book... didn't know you created a monster, did you?) I would like to start another batch of carrots in a deep container. And also some potatoes. Down in Princeton the Rural King had seed potatoes but I haven't found them up here yet, not that we'd be so lucky as to have a Rural King.


And let's not forget the GARLIC and the RASPBERRIES!

This year I've decided that the grapes can hang themselves. The last few years I've tended and cared for and birdnetted and watered and just about the time the grapes look ready to eat they mysteriously disappear. Durn birds/squirrels/hobos. Just breaks your heart.

We've also put in a lone strawberry plant and a cherry tomato plant in a container. This way they can get an early start and if we have a frost scare I can bring them in for the night.

Enough boredom for now. Soon I shall dream of a fine patch of tomatoes and green beans.