Gardening: The Final Phase

Well, I can say that thanks to the heat it was a bust of a year.  In summary:

• The lettuce was always bitter. 
• The tomato plants grew to over five feet high (and only now have 4 itty bitty tomatoes growing). 
• The squash didn't ever produce squash.  Same problem last year, I need to figure out a way to draw more insects to pollinate (and no, the paintbrush/q-tip method did not work). 
• The jalapenos went gangbusters.  I have dozens of them.
• The strawberries wilted, though I see some offshoot strawberry plants developing in the tomato section.
• The basil, rosemary, and lemon verbena thrived.
• Lots of greenbean flowers, no greenbeans.
• And here are the carrots.  They have been growing in the ground since, uh, like May, at least.  I must say that they smell so good when you pick them.

I am taking notes for next spring.  We'll try it again.  The kids do love it and I am hoping we don't push for record breaking heat again next summer.  There were *weeks* when we were not outside in the backyard during the day.

A plus with all this heat, the compost looks rather nice right now.

This Means War

Remember those horrible little caterpillars that ate all my tomato plants last year (Killers I and Killers II)?  Well, they are back .  .  . but I've been looking out for them.  Instead of being 4-5 inches right now, they are about an inch long.

I haven't used any pesticides on the garden.  Well, until now.  I picked as many as I could find, which is like a stealth game of Green Where's Waldo. 

I actually found one by noticing all the poop that was on the leaves of one of the plants.  Gross -- those things poop SO MUCH!

The Harvest

 . . . ah-hem . . . the garden has been, uh, besotted with stupor by flooding-record heat-replanting-weeds-bugs and so I am grateful that we don't really have to harvest anything for our sustenance.  It is starting to make a comeback--I'm still trying.  So far I've been able to get one jalapeno, some strawberries, and lots of squash blooms.

We've been curious, though, about our carrots.

We thought we would take a look-ee.

The boys are quite taken with the carrot. It has been given a tour of McKinney today.  Lucky Carrot.

Year of the Weird . . . Weather

Temps in the 50s?  On May 1st.

And, then hail . . . killed all the growing strawberries and tattered the leaves on several plants, especially the lettuce, broccoli is gone.

Flooding waters have encroached over 50% of the garden.

Possible freeze tonight?

Well, I think that the garden is a gonner.

Garden 2011

So, someone stole the camera . . . ah-hem, Erik!

I still think I captured the essence of our new and expanded garden.

Though, I think we cut an electrical line to the sprinkler system.  (I'll be playing electrician tomorrow to try and fix it.  Am really excited to try my hand at the job!)

We doubled the size of the garden and partially buried the pavement bricks.

On Saturday, the boys and I planted seeds and I roped off a "digger free" section.

Once we get up our rabbit proof fence, the diggers will have a good sized zone to dig up.  The boys love to dig and find worms and dinosaur bones.

So, I've created zones for them to dig around and find stuff in both the front and back yards.

This is Evy.  On the new swing.  Awesome!

Killers, Part Two

Though I was trying to create an educational experience with the Killer Creatures.  I have to "dispense" with at least three of the four.

Erik is making me do it all. by. my. self.  (though he is all for checking their adaptation skills when placed on the blacktop at 107 degrees outside, and something about a magnifying glass)

These aren't slugs.

I am at a loss as to what I am going to do.  Too close to The Very Hungry Caterpillar for me.  Wondering if they are cannibalistic and too chicken to find out.  I don't think I would be very good on a farm.

Killers.

I had five beautiful bell pepper plants this morning.  There were several bell peppers growing.  This evening, I have nothing.

Tomato Horned Caterpillar.

(yes, that is a quarter to get size comparison)

Their poops are M&M sized.

There are four in the jar.

In 90 minutes, they deposited 12 poops.  Yes, I counted because I am a total nerd like that.

I totally thought I could "feed" these until they, you know, turn into moths . . . I don't know if I can feed them that long.  BTW, I *packed* this jar full of leaves. And all those leaves were eaten in under two hours. Hungry, are we?

Yes, the moths are large, very large.  One got lost in my house last spring. 

Dear Erik:

The cute bunny came by . . . and he didn't get the pl--aaa--nnnts! You Rock! (The bugs got the broccoli and I think we've got some mold going on in the squash.)

But, the rabbit didn't get them!

Love-Us

We've got PRODUCE!

I'm happy to report that we've got some strawberries growing. Our tomato plants are flowering. Our beans are climbing. Our squash is crawling, and our herbs look herbish.

I'm sure I'm paying more for water than I would to just buy the produce, but Everett gets so excited when he looks out the window and shouts, "IT is GGROWing, Mom!"

And, Merritt is always ready to play in the water and the dirt.

We were at the Dallas Arboretum earlier this week. And, it was a marvelously, dewishous, beautiful day! Thanks to the gracious giving of our friends, we went along for the ride and played, picnicked, experienced the mists, and ran through Texas Town. The hills that the kids rolled down and scampered on where so green and refreshing. That place is so inspiring and really shows that "stuff" does really grow in Texas. It sure was a day to treasure as Texas heat is heading in.

Most Ladies . . . .

Erik: I got a surprise for your mom, Everett!
Everett (excitedly): What is it?
Erik: It is a composter. Most ladies want flowers or jewelry. Not your mom, she wants something for trash.


This beauty is made of recycled plastic. It is currently in pieces, and I will have to wait to get it going until Erik gets back from the south. But, I am so EXCITED!!

And, it is a tumbling composting barrell. . . . sigh . . .

Seedlings Spring of 2010

A couple of days later

A week later

Cilantro, tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, spaghetti squash, basil, parsley, green beans, lettuce, and rosemary were planted. Surviving so far with real growth: zucchini, spaghetti squash, green beans, tomatoes, and rosemary . . . the rest, I'm not sure. But I've transplanted those with some great growth going on in the garden. The others I am hovering over constantly. I think the cilantro is dead. sad.