What does one do when they already busy trying to manage a blog, work full time and being a mom? Start a garden and not just a little garden, but a big garden that takes up most of the lawn!
So a few things to note for those of you who don’t know me well. First, I am notorious for killing flowers. I forget to water them or water them too much. I have also been known to ignore the level of sunlight certain plants need and move my plants, simply because I don’t like where they are planted. Second, goes along with the first point. I planted my seeds on the thought that I would kill at least half of them before they could get very far. Third, I figured if I was going to start a garden it was go big or go home. I planned on having a raised bed garden but still being able to keep the plants in containers for the most part. This thought seemed to work for me and the room I had in my backyard.
So a few things to note for those of you who don’t know me well. First, I am notorious for killing flowers. I forget to water them or water them too much. I have also been known to ignore the level of sunlight certain plants need and move my plants, simply because I don’t like where they are planted. Second, goes along with the first point. I planted my seeds on the thought that I would kill at least half of them before they could get very far. Third, I figured if I was going to start a garden it was go big or go home. I planned on having a raised bed garden but still being able to keep the plants in containers for the most part. This thought seemed to work for me and the room I had in my backyard.
I planted my seeds on Memorial Day Weekend. We had been hit by some really late frosts and I was not about to plant any earlier for fear that I would lose them and it wouldn’t even be my fault this time. Plus, I really did not have any time to be planting because “busy” season was in full force in my household.
Well as luck would have it, it appears that my “black thumb” does not apply to seeds and plants for the garden, only the landscaping as 90% of my seeds sprouted, far surpassing my estimate of 50%. Panic ensued because the raised bed garden was not going to work, so it seemed that I was in the market for a new plan!
Thankfully the purchase of the lot next door, which was not due to my needing a larger space for my garden but a previous purchase that was going to pay off in more ways than one, would allow for additional space to execute plan b on the garden. Little did I know that the lot I envisioned for a garden and a lawn (gasp, a lawn what a novel idea) was sanctioned for other plans by the men in this household for…wait for it…a basketball court. Being a smart and convincing mom, the space is now being used of a garden. Full disclosure causes me to mention that in reality the basketball court is on hold until next year thus the actual reason for my garden now occupying this space and not my keen negotiating skills. But I like to think that those skills are what caused the expanse of cement to be on hold temporarily to make way for the garden. I mean, what boy doesn’t like food?!?! And playing basketball on a nice new court isn’t going to help put food on the table!
Well as luck would have it, it appears that my “black thumb” does not apply to seeds and plants for the garden, only the landscaping as 90% of my seeds sprouted, far surpassing my estimate of 50%. Panic ensued because the raised bed garden was not going to work, so it seemed that I was in the market for a new plan!
Thankfully the purchase of the lot next door, which was not due to my needing a larger space for my garden but a previous purchase that was going to pay off in more ways than one, would allow for additional space to execute plan b on the garden. Little did I know that the lot I envisioned for a garden and a lawn (gasp, a lawn what a novel idea) was sanctioned for other plans by the men in this household for…wait for it…a basketball court. Being a smart and convincing mom, the space is now being used of a garden. Full disclosure causes me to mention that in reality the basketball court is on hold until next year thus the actual reason for my garden now occupying this space and not my keen negotiating skills. But I like to think that those skills are what caused the expanse of cement to be on hold temporarily to make way for the garden. I mean, what boy doesn’t like food?!?! And playing basketball on a nice new court isn’t going to help put food on the table!
So we set to it, removing the sod, tilling the area, and transplanting the seedlings. I was forewarned by my father in law that some of my plants did not take well to transplanting. However, my previous black thumb turned green proved everyone wrong when I lost a total of 5 plants in the transplant process. I want to take a minute to let you know I am not tooting my own horn, but conveying my astonishment that my green thumb was lasting. Next year’s garden progress blog may have a totally different tone if none of my transplants survive. But rest assured there will be a basketball court so we will be able to spend our time playing a mean game of Horse, instead of pulling weeds and picking a bounty of vegetables, if the garden flops next season.
I made sure the boys were busy in the garden as well because they might as well work for their food right? Actually, they like working in the garden and since the 10 year old has a cabbage project over the summer he wanted to make sure he was the one doing the work, and of course I agreed! Some days were harder than others to get them out in the garden because Beyblades and arguing is way more fun than pulling weeds, setting up the sprinkler and checking for bugs.
The times we would peek into the garden at night and watch the plants sigh and breathe at the cool night air and watch the pumpkin tendrils uncurl was almost magical. Magical to almost make a mommy forget about the arguing and the pain she feels in her foot from an implanted Beyblade. Yes, the miracles of a garden hard at work even at night!
I made sure the boys were busy in the garden as well because they might as well work for their food right? Actually, they like working in the garden and since the 10 year old has a cabbage project over the summer he wanted to make sure he was the one doing the work, and of course I agreed! Some days were harder than others to get them out in the garden because Beyblades and arguing is way more fun than pulling weeds, setting up the sprinkler and checking for bugs.
The times we would peek into the garden at night and watch the plants sigh and breathe at the cool night air and watch the pumpkin tendrils uncurl was almost magical. Magical to almost make a mommy forget about the arguing and the pain she feels in her foot from an implanted Beyblade. Yes, the miracles of a garden hard at work even at night!
Fast forward a month and half and the bounty is beginning to show its full force! In fact it is never ending (note to self: plant half the amount of cucumbers next year), and my cucumber cup runneth over! It is a good thing that I like cucumbers and the boys want to make their own pickles but even with that our neighbors will be getting gifts of the green so I may stop dreaming about drowning in cucumbers and pickles! And soon to follow will be the beans, lima beans, corn and tomatoes. Yes the bounties and joys of the garden; the unexpectedly successful and large garden!
This garden hasn't been as easy as the above paragraphs would allow you to believe. No, there have been some not so pleasant things too. Like the day I found teeth marks on my squash from a "lovely" chipmunk, or the disease that infected my squash plants, or the Japanese beetles that decided my eggplant plant and corn would be a great vacation site! Oh yes there have been bumps on the gardening road but if it were easy all the time then I guess I would take for granted all the good times, success and the bounty!
This garden hasn't been as easy as the above paragraphs would allow you to believe. No, there have been some not so pleasant things too. Like the day I found teeth marks on my squash from a "lovely" chipmunk, or the disease that infected my squash plants, or the Japanese beetles that decided my eggplant plant and corn would be a great vacation site! Oh yes there have been bumps on the gardening road but if it were easy all the time then I guess I would take for granted all the good times, success and the bounty!
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