In the Pretty Garden

I promised an update on our little garden adventure, so here it finally is. The first thing I should say is that Patrick's grandma is a superwoman. She, to be honest, has been doing most of the work with this garden. She has this habit of sneaking down to the garden while I'm downstairs putting Cambrie down for a nap or while we're out running errands. We have no idea where she is, and when we think to look, that's when she comes in, with dirt on her shoes and in her fingernails and a beautiful garden to show for it.

Ready for the list? Potatoes, cabbage, broccoli, romaine, beets, beans, yellow squash, cucumber, zucchini, red  and green bell peppers, tomatoes, corn. Ummm, I guess I'm gonna learn how to eat beets.

I wish I knew more about gardening, because then I could be a little more proactive. I mean, I had to ask her to show me how to hoe. I'm pretty sure that is one of the most basic gardening skills, and I'm pretty sure Laura Ingalls Wilder knew how to hoe at Cambrie's age. And here I am, asking, "How close to the plants? Here? Do I just leave the weeds there? How deep? Ummmm, is this a weed?" *facepalm* I should at least know if something is a weed!

Not a weed--just a very pretty soon-to-be-cabbage.

Anyways, I did help plant at the beginning, and I did plant all five rows of corn, and I did thin those rows of corn  (doesn't that sound fancy? I thinned something!). I also tried to replant some of the hardier stalks I'd thinned out. Take it from me--it does not work so well. At least the rest of the corn is doing well!

Look how tall they are! And to think they use to be just tiny little seeds. Here is where you create-your-own-motivating-life-lesson.

I've also tried to help with weeding (when Cambrie wasn't running away up the hill, forcing me to retrieve her time and time again) and the watering. But in general, I kinda feel useless. I'm learning that my first personal garden will be far less ambitious. I need baby steps. Maybe like a tomato plant in a pot, or something. That sounds good.

We ran out of wire tomato cages, so this is what Patrick and his grandma improvised. Doesn't it look lovely and rustic? I like it.

I think the real problem is I just need to do more in the garden. I have a long way to go to become the super-woman that Patrick's grandma is, but I need to take more opportunities to watch and help her. I think that's the biggest thing holding me back--I don't know when plants need water, when they need thinning, when they need harvesting, what to do about bugs or squirrels or deer. But the more I do, and the more questions I ask, the more I'll know and the more comfortable I'll feel.

Do you see the cute baby broccoli? That is another incentive to keep heading down to the garden.

Until then, I'll enjoy the salads, tacos, and hamburgers we've been enjoying with our home-grown lettuce and look forward to the days of fresh garden tomatoes and zucchini for every other meal (and dessert).