In our garden this year we planted green beans, onions, carrots, radishes, green peppers and one squash plant. A second squash plant began to sprout around the 4th of July. We also did a few rows of lettuce seeds from two years ago, so we did not expect them to grow.
As a reward for our labor of planting, weeding, watering and feeding we got... two dozen green beans.
We had hoped there would be an "AND" after those words, but alas all that we got was green beans which have long since passed our plates. They were good, but we just did not have luck with the rest of it. I am blaming the weather, mostly, for our terrible farming season.
May in DC was terribly rainy. June was wet, but not very hot. July was a little warmer and more sunny, but drier. Ugh.
On the other hand - I would like to sing the praises of growing green beans for a family garden! Abby watched them all from sprout and now matter how much water they have gotten, they have grown and produced! I'm not sure if we will get more this year, but there is a decent chance of it! We grew some last year from seeds from day care!
Maybe I should take this as a reality check: either get better soil or stop trying! Definitely what I'm thinking is the case...
We are doing a lot better of a job at composting this year - we have put out two trash cans that we are putting scraps into and have done really well about it. We take our trash out about once a week now between what we can compost and what our town/county will let us recycle. (Could probably take it out less often, but we don't.) We found an extremely helpful, an slightly bizarre, link from Planet Green. Did you know you can compost pizza crusts? What about latex condoms*? Check out the whole list HERE!
Maybe next year we will have a wonderful garden, flowing and growing with fruits and vegetables to share with all. In the mean time, I am looking forward to the Farmer's Market this weekend!
*Debate has been happening amongst my friends about whether or not the condoms are supposed to be unused, and I don't know the answer so don't ask!
We were very successful with basil but only moderately so with tomatoes and jalapenos. I have come to a couple of conclusions. 1) I like going to the farmer's market so why kill myself and 2) I'm much more skilled with perennials and it's just as rewarding. So next year I'm scrapping the veg, committing to the farmer's market and putting in flowers.
ReplyDeleteI am entirely creeped out by the idea of using condoms in compost - used or otherwise!
ReplyDeleteWe finally gave up putting things right into the ground. Thanks to bunnies and other problems we got monster pots and planted some veggies. They had been doing well and then the monsoons kept coming. Of course, we have a few tomatoes that are growing and a ton of jalapeno peppers.
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