Garden Update

Unfortunately since we returned from Haiti, my garden has been sorrowfully neglected. It has just had to take a back seat to more important projects (like preparing for school to start, working on the orphanage project, etc.) I made sure to water it several times a week, but that was about it. So this past week I did a major clean-up job involving weeding, re-trellising, trimming, pulling out dead plants, cutting dead heads off of flowers, and harvesting ready produce.

 

Sadly, this has been another less-than-stellar year for my garden. I’m evidently doing something wrong. I can probably place partial blame on the wacky weather we’ve had this year (mild winter, early spring, crushing frost, hottest summer on record, drought, etc.) But I have a feeling part of the blame goes to me. Next year I think I’ll try something radically different. I have a feeling I’ll be doing a lot less in the garden. Maybe I’m trying to do too much in too little space.

 

This is what the garden looks like now. I’ve hardly had any tomatoes this year. It was extremely hot for awhile, and then the temperatures dipped into the 40’s and 50’s a couple nights in a row, and I think that was a bit more shock than they could handle.

I planted some fall lettuce, spinach, and kale last week. I also harvested lots of herbs that are now drying over the kitchen sink.

My peppers seem to be doing exceptionally well this year. They are loving the hot temperatures!

I have never seen such beautiful marigolds! All the flowers I planted in the garden seem to be flourishing. Mom had saved some marigold seeds last year from one of our plants, and they came up beautifully!

I’ve also had tons of Nasturtium blooms. So many in fact, that I’m not sure what to do with all of them! I’ve made herb butter with them and put them on pizza, but I’m not sure what to try next!

My zinnias have been brightening the garden as well. Maybe next year I should just grow flowers, as that’s the only thing that’s really done well this year. Oh well. We live and learn! J