Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Spring!

Spring is very busy! I have spent a lot of it at basketball and baseball games but a large part of springtime is always devoted to the garden. And can I just tell ya? I am worn out! My shoulders all the way down to be fingers were aching so badly when I got out of bed yesterday morning! Oh well…much needed exercise for tank top season!

This year I think I have gone a little crazy in the pepper department…probably 8 jalapeno plants and countless types of bell peppers…I planted yellow ones, red ones, green ones and even purple ones this year! Even trying some poblano peppers as well. We’ll see how all the different types do in the Oklahoma weather. I haven’t really experienced too many problems growing peppers.

I have around 15 tomato plants this year which is pretty close to what I usually do…and is way too much for my family of four but I love it!! I really wanted to start canning last year but I get too overwhelmed by it and then don’t do it. How I wished my grandma were still here so she could show me how. I have read about it and I know that it all sounds fairly straight forward but to then go and buy what I need to get started…well, I simply sit there in the store and stare at all the stuff on the aisle and think…I totally have no clue what I am doing!

This year I am also trying eggplants, which is a whole new thing for me. I bought two different varieties so we will see which one does better. Of course I put in two more raised beds in addition to my garden space, which I cannot say my husband is thrilled about, but he will be happier once there is produce…maybe:o) I have to say in his defense, the beds are at the side of our house which is the side for mower access to the rest of the back yard. I did leave enough space for the mower to get through…but let me tell you…it just fits through! Less space wasted means more veggies for us…[ :O / ] that’s Dave’s…do what you want, you’re going to anyway face… They are totally dedicated to cantaloupe and cucumbers…and speaking of cucumbers…I just took this pic last night. It is the first of the cucumber plants that just popped through.


I so get a kick out of seeing these plants start from just a little seed and then grow and grow and actually produce food that we use to nourish our bodies with! Such a God thing! No other way for me to look at it!

Here are my precious strawberry plants that come back year after year…I think that is why they are so special to me :o)

And this is the first little bell pepper emerging to meet the world! Hello little pepper!


And here are the first flowers on my beloved tomato plants…didn’t even see the spider there until I looked at the pic on the computer with it enlarged. Fun or ewww! I love spiders outside eating all the other bugs but I hate them crawling on me...just can't deal, sorry~ it's my girl side that I let out every once in awhile.


Ok – here is quick run down of the rest…Radishes, 3 different types of lettuce, squash, zucchini, also cherry tomatoes as well as a variety called jelly bean tomatoes…suppose to be little bitty but sweet, sweet, sweet. I have never even heard of them before so we will see how it goes… basil, oregano, cilantro, lavender, dill, sage, parsley, tarragon, chives (which also came back from last year) and I know there are a couple more spices but I’ll remember you when you start growing :o) and also some green beans (those didn’t do too hot last year but I think I planted them too late for the spring planting and too early for that late summer planting so we’ll see what happens.

Now to attack the rest of the flower plantings…much work on the front end but so much pleasure in the months to come. Also – I will try to do another blog here pretty quick about Ruby’s. It is the greatest nursery! And their prices are so reasonable…I mean like .50 to.99 cents a plant on most veggies and single qt flowers!!! (Walmart and Lowes were selling veggies from $4-$6 a plant!!! Are you kidding me??) If you live close to the City and you still haven’t got your seeds in the ground, they are excellent to buy from!
Happy Spring All!!

1 comment:

  1. I wish you lived close so we could be gardening buds...I love to garden!!! YOurs are looking great!

    ReplyDelete