Thursday, May 06, 2010

Garden Tour for Garden Friends


By the end of this summer you are going to be so sick of hearing about this garden.

If you live close enough I would bribe console reward you with fresh veggies, but the rest of you just have to persevere, you just have to listen in the name of La Vida love, and know that you are a friend of the garden.

Before we walk in the garden I did want to update on yesterdays post .

First, I did not get an iPad. They are REALLY cool, and I would love one, but they are pricey.

Just like most of you, we are in the middle of paying for orthodontics, new curriculum for next year, summer camps, and swim team (I won't mention that I am a little bitter that I bought the "new design" team-suits last year, in a slightly larger size, so as to use them two years in a row--- and they changed them again this year.) so I'm not sure if I see an iPad in my future....someday.

Second, apparently Fuddruckers declared bankruptcy , and all the corporate-owned franchises were closed. Which means we may still stumble across an independant FR franchise here and there, but the picking may be slim.

Third, and please don't unsubscribe if this offends, but I've had the Five Guys Burger and Fries. I was unimpressed. I just thought that the hamburger wasn't any different than say a Wendy's. It was maybe a step up from Burger King (although, in the interest of full disclosure I haven't eaten at either of those establishments, or any other fast food burger, for a very long time. So what do I know?)

And can I just say, that if all establishments would serve french fries like the Chick-fil-A waffle fries, or the crinkle-cut they serve at eegee's in Tucson, then I would be content.

The truth of the matter is this: I am not a burger aficionado, but I haven't met a potato I didn't like.

Ok, how in the world did we get on this topic? Let's move on....

This is my garden this morning:

It's growing well. I lost a bell pepper plant yesterday but I have several others, so I think its OK.

Tomatoes and tomato seedlings (so I always have a rotation of growing toms to keep my salads happy.)


Beefsteak tomatoes in the back, cucumbers in the middle, bell peppers in the front, Marigold along the side to attract good bugs and repel the bad.

Speaking of bugs....last weekend I was feeding my plants when I was confronted by a big bug that looked like this:


I bravely screamed in horror, and made The Boy come collect it and take it elsewhere.

The next day, there was another one. I sprayed it with Cayenne spray and it went away.

Turns out my fear overzealousness should have been glee, because apparently this monster beetle eats the bugs that eat gardens.

Unfortunately, he took his peppery self and went and told all his little Black Caterpillar Hunter friends, and they've blacklisted my garden as a safe place to dine.

Bummer.

(I'm really resisting the urge to go into a diatribe on how the worst part of gardening are the critters and creatures that crawl, so let's look at another picture.)



Those big ol'e leaves are zucchini. Here is a look at the underside:

Never in my life did I think I would be writing about the underside of zucchini. 

Early this morning I finally got my watermelon and cantaloupe bed finished, filled, and planted. That white thing in the middle is my ant killer concoction: equal parts sugar and borax.

If you are a friend to the ants, I'm sorry. Ants are not friends of the garden.

There are other pictures of my herbs, sweet peas, broccoli, lettuce and jalepenos, but this post is beginning to feel a lot like a slide show shown by an old aunt that nobody really wants to see.

So my friends, I hope you enjoyed your tour today.

18 comments:

Tanya said...

Wow. Part of me is a little envious, but most of me just wishes I lived close enough to receive the bribe. :)

Rebecca said...

I love your garden! Pure spring greatness.

Megan O. said...

This post just made me smile. I love you and I love your garden.

Kendra said...

I'll listen to your garden talk if you listen to mine. Ours is much smaller, but maybe next year we'll have a bigger one!

Jen said...

There are no words to describe my envy and covetous desires right now. I wish, wish, wish I had a garden even a fraction as lovely as yours!! I love gardening, but alas, God has us in this ridiculous little apartment for now. (Please, God, let my time here be almost done?!)

So I will garden vicariously through you, my friend!!

Carpool Queen said...

I love the red fence. I also love zucchini. I love zucchini bread more.

Ahem.

Tiffani said...

I feel the freshness in those pics!!!!

Just gorgeous!

We only planted tomatoes in buckets this year so we'll see how those do and maybe moved to a raised bed or two next year!

I will listen to you go on and on about the garden AND receive the rewards! ;)

Gretchen said...

I've always secretly longed to see the underside of your zucchini. Feels a little tawdry, doesn't it? ;-)

I loved getting a peek at something that makes you so happy--all except for the bugs.

jamjar said...

I will in no way get tired of hearing about your garden IF you don't get tired hearing about mine!!TE -HE!!!

Jenster said...

I've never met a friendly ant.

"I bravely screamed in horror." HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Oh, LaVida, you do slay me.

Tracey said...

My favorite food group is 'hamburgers'. I love me a good burger..and I agree with your assessment on 5 Guys.

We don't go out for good burgers anymore, though. We order 'grass fed' hamburger and grill our own. YUMMO!

Your garden is delightful! Thank you ever so much for the tour. (btw, we plant marigolds around our garden..they really do keep out the bad bugs..except for the awful things that eat squash and zucchini. grrrrr!)

Unknown said...

I loved the tour of your garden! Mine is just a baby compared to yours! Thank you for sharing!!!!

P.S. I really do LOVE my apron! Thank you so much.

His Girl said...

I am just so VERY impressed!

This post made me miss you so much... and made me want to come and visit for a beautiful homegrown salad.

you're such a cool chickkie.

Anonymous said...

okay first.. I am going to go put that sugar/borax out in my garden.. the ants are trying to take over.. That was even after I poured boiling water over the whole bed (before I planted). Super sad on the fuddruckers I love that place. I like 5 guys for the fries yum! However, I do think their burgers are better than any fast food place. But no where in comparison to fuddruckers :-)

Elizabeth said...

I love seeing my friends' gardens! If I had one, I would show you pictures, but I can't even keep houseplants alive.

I am going to Tulsa today in hopes of our Fuddruckers still being open-I'll let you know.

Amy said...

I'll be hurting for produce around here this summer, since we're not in our CSA any more and I am not industrious enough to plant a garden. Your garden is really taking off!! Nice job!

meh said...

OH i am so Proud of you for planting that gorgeous green organic garden! Your kids will grow up with great stories and memories of the BEST tomatoes they ever tasted in their life, etc., all because you planted that garden. I know this because I have those exact stories and memories of my own mama's lovely garden!

Gretchen said...

My garden looks a wee bit wimpy compared to yours. Way to go, Mrs. Green Jeans!