It has been two weeks since I planted my garden and already the body count is two. TWO! Am I only supposed to take care of mammals? My babies have been flourishing with not even a single close call, but the plants…. Ay, Dios Mio!
The dearly departed include my only yellow pepper plant and one of the tomatoes. A faulty sprinkler may be to blame because I actually have been watering my plants. I’ve discovered the importance of my kitchen timer. My pattern is usually to forget to water my garden or forget to stop watering my garden. Life with toddlers means my attention is frequently hijacked and my intentions are completely derailed. The kitchen timer not only reminds me that I must turn off my sprinklers, it also distracts my little ones as they are fascinated by the beep. When it beeps, I drop whatever I’m doing with an air of urgency and point to my ear, hoping they will always allow me to leave so I can respond to the plants or the muffins in the oven.
Elsewhere the garden seems to be doing well. I woke one day to an uprooted cauliflower, the likely culprit being a 4-legged meower. I replanted and it’s still struggling along. The herbs are fine. The egglant looks strong and the broccoli look dandy to me.
I am not exactly sure what to do with my lettuce. It flops over. Do I harvest those leaves now? I never know when and how to cut it. I know it should be able to be harvested several times. Help, please.
Still haven’t named my garden yet…. I’m open to votes from last week’s post and suggestions. Here’s hoping the body count remains low. So sorry tomatoes and peppers. You know how dearly I loved you.
I just heard on the news that, as a result of the recession, the majority of people in the U.S. are planting vegetable gardens. I’ve been considering doing this myself.