Anyone wanna take a peek at my garden? It is super obvious as you drive by seeing as how the only fully sunny spot on our property is a 7' long X 3' deep patch of sandy dirt that is smack dab in my front yard. I often try to offset the veggie garden look with some attention grabbing flowers that I can cut and display in my home...but this year I think I am going to forgo the old pretty route and just plant more veggies. The price of produce is sky rocketing and since I refuse to settle for the "junk" food that is cheap...I must draw upon the soil in my front yard to produce some stellar crops for me this summer!
I plan to plant:
Tomatoes
I think I will stick with Cherry tomatoes this year
as they seem to do better. My larger tomatoes
always split and get eaten (or stolen) from my
garden before they are ready to pick.
Green Peppers
these grow like weeds and produce so much fruit!
Mini sweet colored peppers
smaller is better...as with note under tomatoes
Squash
this veggie is such an eye sore and
can take over if not cared for regularly.
However, it yields lots of fruit!
Green onions - see note**
Chives
has grown significantly since last summer
and I am already using it in my potatoes...yummy:)
Rosemary
has doubled in size since last year!!
Lavendar
didn't die over winter...but the
cold weather was unkind to its beauty!
Mint
delicious and creative...but needs to be contained if put into the ground.
Mine is already popping up in places it wasn't invited
...but what can I say
...mint is what some would call a Free Spirit:)
Basil
simply divine
Dill
yes, I am going to try my hand at this for a 3rd summer.
It has never worked well for me,
but it is one of my favorites and I
simply must try my green thumb at it again.
Marigolds on the perimeter
to keep critters OUT!!!!
However, these are mosquito magnets for my garden
thankfully rosemary is a natural repellant!
I think I will stick with Cherry tomatoes this year
as they seem to do better. My larger tomatoes
always split and get eaten (or stolen) from my
garden before they are ready to pick.
Green Peppers
these grow like weeds and produce so much fruit!
Mini sweet colored peppers
smaller is better...as with note under tomatoes
Squash
this veggie is such an eye sore and
can take over if not cared for regularly.
However, it yields lots of fruit!
Green onions - see note**
Chives
has grown significantly since last summer
and I am already using it in my potatoes...yummy:)
Rosemary
has doubled in size since last year!!
Lavendar
didn't die over winter...but the
cold weather was unkind to its beauty!
Mint
delicious and creative...but needs to be contained if put into the ground.
Mine is already popping up in places it wasn't invited
...but what can I say
...mint is what some would call a Free Spirit:)
Basil
simply divine
Dill
yes, I am going to try my hand at this for a 3rd summer.
It has never worked well for me,
but it is one of my favorites and I
simply must try my green thumb at it again.
Marigolds on the perimeter
to keep critters OUT!!!!
However, these are mosquito magnets for my garden
thankfully rosemary is a natural repellant!
And of course...my lone rose bush that is front and center in my garden. It is pathetic...but I love the smell of roses wafting in my kitchen as I cook each warm day!
(of course, I won't be smelling roses until the smell of manure has waned just a little:)
Should be one full little area...
I have opted to buy my plants this year from my local produce stand. They sell the veggies at $.25 a plant! Can't beat it.
Last year I tried the seed route but was quite disatisfied with the results.
The year before I bought all the plants at Walmart seeing as how their money back guarantee works on their plants as well. If a plant is unsatisfactory...you simply dig it up and take it back with your receipt.
However, since I am growing only plants I am familiar with...I am going to just go the market route and see what happens.
Anyone else growing a budget friendly garden?
I am sure I will miss the cut flowers...but I know we will enjoy the "almost free" stir-frys we enjoy several nights a week every summer!
Has anyone ever grown container tomatoes? I think they are called bush tomatoes...you can plant them in hanging baskets and small containers, but I don't know where to purchase them.
**just a quick and fun tip. Instead of buying seeds for my green onions 2 years ago...I just walked outside and stuck a stem of my storebought green onions about 1/2 way in the ground and began watering. It wilted for the first 2 days...but after it took root...I got onions all summer and fall!
the same thing can be done with just about any veggie...just plant it whole and see what happens!
In a few weeks I will post our winter avacado project that will blow you away!
2 comments:
I lost most of my gorgeous veggies due to the "volcanic soil." The roots aren't strong enough to penetrate the ground so we have to keep our garden to large pots out back. I'll have to start over, but Praise the Lord that the weather here is perfect for starting over anytime I need to. I'm going to stick with our herbs, tomatoes, peppers, onions, carrots and gladiolas.
And I grew up with a HUGE compost heap out back and shoveled horse manure from a local stable every year with my Dad. STINKY and so much work but definitely worth it all. Turkey manure works the best in case you ever need to know. I've done horse, turkey, chicken and cow. Standing hip deep in that stuff wasn't fun, but some farmers will give it away free if you bring a truck and shovel it for them. You do what you have to do!
I miss you!!!
I am really curious about the avocado project - can't wait to hear!
I grew veggies in pots for years - one plant per pot! This year is the first year for some raised beds, and I'm so excited. We put some sugar snap peas in already, and I've started my tomato and bell pepper plants indoors. We'll be planting winter squash and zucchini as well.
Do people take the produce out of your yard? I thought about planting veggies out front but wondered about that.
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