How Does Your Garden Grow?

Eggplant, cucumber, zucchini, tomatoes, green peppers, green beans and green chili's all from today's trip to the garden

Part of the fun of owning our own home is that we could have a garden. I must say I was more excited about this then Merlin was. He was sure I wouldn't be able to grow anything since my record with keeping house plants alive is zero.

I grew up with parents who put in a huge vegetable garden and I remember how I loathed going out to pick weeds. We enjoyed bountiful foods that my mom would can, freeze or we would enjoy for our supper fresh out of our backyard. Nowadays I'm interested in growing my own food since I am concerned about where my food comes from, and what has gone in to produce it. So here was my chance to have my own little organic garden which I dubbed "farming in the city".

It was a learning experience doing everything myself. So what did we grow? We grew a few things from seed but mostly went to a local greenhouse and bought small starter plants. So we planted from seed...radish, carrots, lettuce, beets, spinach and herbs like cilantro, basil, thyme and parsley. My neighbor was nice enough to give me two pepper plants that he grew from seed while I gave away some of my extra plants, since I didn't think we needed say four chili plants!!! We then went and bought purple cabbage, green chili, celery, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes (roma and yellow boy), pole beans, snap peas, cucumber, and zucchini. *phew*

I did try to grow a few things in pots thinking I could save precious garden space for other things but honestly the strawberry plants mostly died and I transplanted the rest in to a small patch in the garden while the tomato plants started to shrink and wither away.

I've had my share of problems too.....worms on the cabbage, Japanese beetles eating my beans and squash vine borers. I saved my cabbage and beans by using organic methods but the zucchini were too far gone by the time I figured out what was going on to save them.

It is fun to go out to our little "farm" and pick our own food. Next year I plan to expand and include some fruit in our backyard. It may take some time to grow but my hope is to grow as much of our own food as I can while enjoying the hobby of gardening and being green to the environment. Merlin has also come to enjoy going around and checking the plants and taking out weeds and of course enjoying the fresh veggies that land on our table for supper.