In addition to enjoying the benefits of belonging to a CSA, I’m growing some of my own food this summer. So far I’ve planted a variety of heirloom tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini/squash, watermelon, eggplant, and cucumbers. In an attempt to keep my garden more accessible this summer, I built paths around the main bed, laying down mulch to try to keep the weeds down. On one hand, I love how secluded and green my garden space is… but it gets sooooo wild and overgrown back there. It’s a constant battle between me and the grape vines. And the burdock root. I really love the process of growing my own food, though. It’s so satisfying.
It’s still a work-in-progress… I’ll lay down some straw in the main garden bed soon so help the soil retain moisture and keep the weed growth down. There’s still more work to do with the path building. I’m using found materials as much as possible—old railroad ties, wooden boards, and limestone blocks that were laying around and mulch from a variety of sources (thanks, flossie!). It’s all a little mix-n-match, but it works! Here’s a before shot, taken in mid-April, for comparison:
I’ve also got a little herb garden going, right outside my door. It’s so nice to be able to just pop outside and snip whatever herbs I need for cooking. There’s basil, thai basil, lemon balm, cilantro, italian parsley, rosemary, lavender, fennel, dill, sage, thyme… it’s fully stocked!
And lastly, how can you call yourself a gardener without a gardener’s sun hat? Eager to make use of my newly repaired sewing machine, I created this hat with a pattern by Lotta Jansdotter (albeit a much modified pattern, since hers was made for a huge head, apparently! I had to shorten the crown and a the brim significantly). It’s a perfect hat for keeping the sun out of my eyes and off my face.
Happy gardening to all you fellow gardeners out there! For those of you who want to try it, go for it. Even if you start with just some tomato plants in pots or some basil in front of your kitchen window, growing food is so rewarding. I didn’t know anything about gardening when I started—p ut the plant in the ground and then eat! was my philosophy. Well, that’s still my philosophy, but I’ve learned some things about what not to do, but really it’s not that hard. All you need is soil, water, and sunlight… (and a hat!)
In addition to enjoying the benefits of belonging to a CSA, I’m growing some of my own food this summer. So far I’ve planted a variety of heirloom tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini/squash, watermelon, eggplant, and cucumbers. In an attempt to keep my garden more accessible this summer, I built paths around the main bed, laying down mulch to try to keep the weeds down. On one hand, I love how secluded and green my garden space is… but it gets sooooo wild and overgrown back there. It’s a constant battle between me and the grape vines. And the burdock root. I really love the process of growing my own food, though. It’s so satisfying.
It’s still a work-in-progress… I’ll lay down some straw in the main garden bed soon so help the soil retain moisture and keep the weed growth down. There’s still more work to do with the path building. I’m using found materials as much as possible—old railroad ties, wooden boards, and limestone blocks that were laying around and mulch from a variety of sources (thanks, flossie!). It’s all a little mix-n-match, but it works! Here’s a before shot, taken in mid-April, for comparison:
I’ve also got a little herb garden going, right outside my door. It’s so nice to be able to just pop outside and snip whatever herbs I need for cooking. There’s basil, thai basil, lemon balm, cilantro, italian parsley, rosemary, lavender, fennel, dill, sage, thyme… it’s fully stocked!
And lastly, how can you call yourself a gardener without a gardener’s sun hat? Eager to make use of my newly repaired sewing machine, I created this hat with a pattern by Lotta Jansdotter (albeit a much modified pattern, since hers was made for a huge head, apparently! I had to shorten the crown and a the brim significantly). It’s a perfect hat for keeping the sun out of my eyes and off my face.
Happy gardening to all you fellow gardeners out there! For those of you who want to try it, go for it. Even if you start with just some tomato plants in pots or some basil in front of your kitchen window, growing food is so rewarding. I didn’t know anything about gardening when I started—p ut the plant in the ground and then eat! was my philosophy. Well, that’s still my philosophy, but I’ve learned some things about what not to do, but really it’s not that hard. All you need is soil, water, and sunlight… (and a hat!)