My Garden

I love having a garden. Growing up, my parents always had a large garden, and during the summers, we had to weed the vegetables, pick and snap beans, and kill as many of the bad bugs that we could find. The bug part was the only fun part because we got paid a penny for everyone we got. Actually, I don’t even remember getting the money…just adding it up. Anyway, we all dreaded going out to the garden to weed, even if we only had to do two or three rows. So, now that I am an adult, what do I do? Grow a garden…when I am the only one to weed it. But I love it!

Last year we planted our first real garden. Andrew built a box so I could do a square-foot garden, although we really just followed the box idea, not the soil. It was fun…but only 5 feet by 2 feet, although we did have some other plots that I filled with wildflowers. This year, we have a lot more room…and we filled it up! And here are some of my favorite things about it:

Pumpkins. This is our first year ever growing pumpkins, and I love them because they grow! Cucumbers don't seem to like me although I love them. I just can’t get them to grow…I bought plants this year. But the pumpkins are already getting huge…I can’t wait until October!

Chives. Don't they look great? I hope they keep doing well. I love having them! I planted them in the pot, because they will keep growing back, and I never want to be without them.

Marigolds. Okay, these aren’t vegetables, but I needed another color besides green. But, I love these flowers; the bugs do too, which is great…because they are attracted to them instead of my vegetables. Also, I love them because last year, I bought some seeds, and planted them. And you can harvest seeds from every flower, and save them for the next year. I had a lot of marigolds last year, and was very diligent in my seed collecting, so now, I planted even more, and I still think I have a ½ cup of seeds!
Broccoli. This is also a first and we are growing cauliflower too, but it isn't as big yet, and it is covered by leaves, so it is harder to get a picture of. But, the broccoli looks great…and in fact, I cut some today, and we steamed it for dinner…and it was so good. And so green!

Tomatoes! I love tomatoes. Andrew doesn't, which really is too bad, because I think I planted 6 plants. Four of the plants are Beefsteak and two are Cherry. Last year none of my tomatoes did very well...which is why I had to have 6 plants this year, right? Just in case.

Lettuce. The best for last. Really. I love growing lettuce. It is my favorite, because, like pumpkins, it always grows. At least for me. When the bugs attack everything else, they stay away from the lettuce. Unfortunately, you can't really stock up on lettuce or can it, dry it, or freeze it; but it grows fast. And you can plant more for a fall crop. I love lettuce.