Itʼs like a garden out here*
by Rebecca on 2011-04-01
I was able to get my garden put in at the beginning of March, thanks to the marvels of the Texas climate. I might have started even earlier, had it not been for a certain freak snowstorm in February. Oh, but wait, let me back up.
I had a fall garden, in which I planted several leafy greens, some cabbage, and some parsley. Those kind of piddled along but eventually grew big enough to be interesting. And then the aforementioned freak snowstorm threatened to wipe out plants which by then were doing well enough that I could sprinkle homegrown arugula into the occasional salad. We covered the bed, which was then subjected to no less than 4 days of hard freezing and 1 day of snowfall, and hoped for the best. All that hoping paid off because nearly everything survived and came back stronger than ever. The only casualties were a broccoli and Brussels sprouts that hadnʼt been doing well anyway. (Spiritual application, anyone?)
Emboldened by my ability (extraordinary good luck?) to keep a garden alive through poor weather, I put lots of new plants into the ground at the beginning of March. Hereʼs what my garden looked like a few weeks ago. Not pictured is the pot of strawberries on the patio.
Since these pictures were taken, the cabbage and Brussels sprouts have been removed, and Iʼve added a few more things: another bell pepper plant, okra seeds, more flowers to attract butterflies (and yellowjackets, apparently), and two more tomato plants. The only casualties of my spring planting so far are the marigolds. Everything else is coming along nicely, especially the tomatoes. I already see about 10 tiny green tomatoes that Iʼm excited to pick in a few weeks! If I find a recipe that calls for expensive ingredients like fresh thyme, basil, or arugula, itʼs so satisfying to go outside and snip off what I need.
Can I say something about this cabbage? That cabbage went through so much hardship and still thrived. I liked to think of her as the Grand Dame of my garden, telling all of the other plants what to do. Last week, something with very sharp teeth, perhaps a rabbit or squirrel, made a nice snack of this cabbage. So, we had to eat her for dinner. I only wish that this not so amazing salad had done her life justice. Now thereʼs an empty spot in my garden, and Iʼm not sure what to put there. Zucchini, maybe? (Does anyone have opinions about homegrown zucchini? Do tell.)
Lest you think youʼre getting away without a single mention of Emily, hereʼs a cute picture of my little garden princess. By the way, itʼs Emilyʼs fault that I have 12 okra plants sprouting in my garden right now. She wanted to plant every single seed that she could get her little hands on. So, you all are invited over for a big pot of gumbo in about two months!
*Can anyone besides Carrie tell me what movie thatʼs from?