Oh Baby, We're Going to Have A Garden!

Every year we have some type of garden. Some years they've been small, some have been bountiful, others neglected and scarce...this year, look out! We've nearly doubled the size of the garden (call it Gardener's Creep) and are going to pack that baby chock full of stuff that we think might grow here. It started with a trip to the hardware store where we got sucked into the starter kits and all of those seeds packages looked so yummy and so easy to grow. (Note to self: Never go to a garden center when you're hungry!) So, we came home with full arms, ready to fill both of our 72 unit starter packs. Common sense kicked in after planting the first one out - did we really want all 144 of these plants to produce at the same time? Nah, let's wait a couple of weeks. Cuz 24 stalks of corn are enough for one harvest, don't ya' think?

So here you go...the first round of seeds. A before and after shot:


Technically, I suppose these should be called "Before" and "Current" shots. Somehow we thought it would take a little longer than 2 days to sprout...anyhow, check out the tall plant at the back. That's Ace, our over-achieving sunflower. He's going to break 12 feet, I just know it! And, yep, we've got another one of these babies just primed and ready to go.

So we spent time this weekend getting the garden bigger. Katie was a tremendous help.


She even made a new friend. I encouraged her to put "Wormy" back in the cool, moist soil so he could make a new home and rest, but she explained that he'd already fallen asleep in her hand. Right...he's sleeping...


I guess I never mentioned what we're planting. As my over-achieving, everything in it's place self, I had to map it out to make sure it would all fit. Sorry it's a rough sketch here, but you can see the Corn Patch in the upper right hand side (the yellow-orange and red dots indicating the yellow and red corn stalks - 36 in all, maybe more); the Tomato Garden just below that with the red boxes marked with "T"s; the Squash Patch with 15 zuccinni and summer squash plants planted in triangle patterns; our towering sunflowers along the back; the orange flowers represent the Punkin' Patch; the blue dots along the left side is Asparagus Lane and the funny diagonal patterns are Potatoes, Carrots and Green Peppers on the left (Brown, Yellow and Green respectively) and Cucumbers, Beets and Spinach/Lettuce (Green, Pink and Green respectively) on the right.


A trained eye will notice that there's still a little bare patch right in the front there. We're open to suggestions! Maybe a little somethin' somethin' to make sure the bees hang out back there and spread that pollen good and wide!

I'll update you with pictures as the garden gets planted out, as our seedlings sprout, bloom and bear their 'fruits'. And, yes, I'll keep you posted as they die off as well!

Keep us posted on your gardens - what you're growing and how it's doing. And, don't be afraid to get your hands dirty!


PS: The fruit trees are going in the front yard!