The Break Up

I feel guilty just typing this.

I've left my garden. Not wholly. We still see each other now and then, on the weekends.

But it has been kind of awkward since I moved out. I show up to water the plants and collect the ripened vegetables.

To put it plainly, the garden has just let itself go. It isn't as attractive as it once was. All the new tomatoes are too heavy for the supports and the pumpkin vines are growing without regard for the other plants' personal space. I know this doesn't excuse me for leaving. If I'm honest with myself I can admit I played a role in the garden's deterioration.

I know the garden needs me and I want to be there for it. On one hand, I'd like for things to be like they were in the beginning. I was so nurturing and selfless. On the other hand, I live somewhere new now and my priorities are different. I'm now getting things my garden could never provide.

I still want the benefits of the garden though. I'm not ready to let that go just yet. Until I am, I'll keep sweet talking my babies on the weekends.

My Garden Overfloweth

I've been, thankfully, very busy lately. Hence the lack of updates.

The tomato plants are as tall as I am now. I waited entirely too long to get them into proper supports. The ideal ones are those big wire cones. I finally found them the other week at the garden center. I spent nearly an hour trying to wrestle the branches into the supports. Unfortunately, there were some broken limbs, but the plants looked to be fully recovered by the next day. Right now there are at least a dozen gigantic tomatoes hanging on the plants. They're all still green though.

The yellow squash is putting out veggies like nobody's business.

Zucchini bread anyone? soup? pudding?

Can You Dig It?

Inspirational article on urban farming: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/05/magazine/05allen-t.html?em

Summer Harvests

These are the gifts my garden has brought me over the past few days. Looks like it is time to start giving some of these away to neighbor and friends!

And if you have been following the slug saga, it looks like I'm rid of them for the most part now that I am rid of the cabbage. I pulled out the last of it yesterday. I think that was wise. The plot is still really cramped, but getting rid of the first row of cabbage made a huge difference. I even found a couple big cucumbers hiding behind them and one giant yellow squash.

A Little Update

Summer is in full effect here in Maryland. It is hot and when it rains, it definitely, definitely pours. The plants are diggin' it though.

So far I've come up with about a dozen healthy yellow squash- all of them delicious. And a couple cucumbers have popped up, too. I have a pretty impressive pumpkin growing on a vine, as well. Now it is about the size of a swollen grapefruit and it is just hanging there, defying gravity. I'll have to get a good pic before it's brought down to Earth.

I've pulled out all but two of my cabbage plants due to the caterpillar and slug infestation. I never did use any pesticide on the plants, though once I drizzled soapy water all over them. That didn't seem to help much. The best thing I have found to do is just to put on some gloves and remove them by hand. It takes time, but afterwards they're gone and I don't have to worry about any chemicals.

And that's what's good in my garden!

The Second Bed

The second bed is filling in quite nicely. Even the first zinnia has flowered.

Caterpillars Caterpillars Caterpillars

Dear Caterpillars,
Please stop eating my cabbage. And tell your nasty slug friends to get lost while you're at it.
Sincerely,

The Budding Horticulturist