Garden 2005

Spring has already sprung down south.  In fact, we didn’t even have much of a winter.  Not that I’m complaining, but I already feel behind. 

This weekend, we fertilized the shrubs and put a systemic worm killer (i.e., the plants absorb it and only worms eating the leaves die) on the ground around the trees and plants that the canker worms consider prize picnic plants.  This is the last time we’ll use that particular pesticide.  We found some biologically derived as opposed to chemically derived stuff that should work better and not potentially kill us or the animals.  I’ll let you know how it goes.

I’ve also ordered our seeds and plants from Cook’s Garden and Burpee.  We’ve ix-nayed the zukes and cukes this year because they take up so much dang space.  I almost didn’t buy any garden peas this year either, because last year they were a lot of work and not a lot of reward.  However, I think I figured out what I did wrong and we’re going to work on it.  We’ve also only ordered 4 tomato plants instead of 6 so that hopefully, come August, tomatoes won’t be hurling themselves at us as we walk by the garden. 

The new things we’ve added:  Cannelloni beans (or some variant), REAL red beets (not those white/red circular ones), asparagus to make an asparagus bed, strawberries, black-eyed peas and watercress.  The successful plants from last year include the mesclun, okra, pole beans, eggplants, and chard.  The kinda worked but not so well include the garden peas (see above!) and the pepper plants.  Yes, the pepper plants are kind of expensive, but I want some peppers of color. And for the price of 6 actual peppers in the grocery store right now, we bought 6 pepper plants.  So I think it’s worth it. 

The really big news, though, is the cultivator/mini-tiller we bought on Saturday.  It’s small enough for me to use but powerful enough to till our garden.  Better still, it was a Consumer Reports best buy and we were able to get an additional $10 off of it because CR said it should cost less than what they had in the store.  It will pay for itself in 3 years based on how much we’ve been renting tillers for!  It’s definitely a splurge, but when I think about the quality of food we can grow and the amount, it seems worth it.

Of course, that means I’m back to Farmer Anita starting in a few weeks.  Whatever.  Soon enough we’ll have our routines set up and it won’t be so much work.  Honestly, it’s easier now than it was our first year when we would have starved based on what we produced in the garden. 

Cutie Booty

When Conor rolls over on his tummy when he’s sleeping, he’s taken to sleeping with his booty in the air, crouching on his knees in the crib.  It’s very much like child’s pose in yoga, ironically.  Nonetheless, it is so cute that I can’t stop going in to stare at him.  And yes, I probably will take a picture of it at some time.  I take pictures of him just sitting there.  Why not pictures of him sleeping when he looks that cute? 

7:37:01 AM