Come On, Spring!

It don't look like much.....yet.

But the season has begun!

And this year I seem to be more excited about the vegetable garden than ever. I think that's maybe because Grace is almost five, so when we're out in the yard she no longer demands my complete attention. She likes to go off on her own a bit and go on "treasure hunts" or work on her own "garden" ... both involve piles of rocks, a shovel and mud. And this year she even planted her own tray of flowers and food, although I'm not sure how those twelve watermelon plants are going to do in that one four-inch pot.

I started my seedlings March 18th, and pretty much finished them up today. Just about everything else has to be planted where it will grow - things like winter squash, zucchini, cucumbers don't transplant well for me, and of course root vegetables don't either. I even decided to keep a journal, especially since this year I, um, went a little overboard purchasing seeds!

So far, this is what I've got:

Tomatoes: Green Zebra (green, striped), Sungold Select (small, orange cherry variety), Striped Roman (really cool-looking! Red roma type with yellow striping), Fox Cherry Red (hubby's favorite), Hazelfield Farm (big red heirloom from Appalachia), Orange Flesh Purple Smudge (I can't even picture it...), Morning Sun (where'd THAT come from? Did I even buy those seeds?)

Peppers: Italian Pepperoncini, Jimmy Nardello Italian (sweet Italian pepper), Anaheim, Patio Red Marconi (these might end up in pots on the deck - they're like an Italian all-purpose sweet pepper, bright red when ripe), Cayenne chili peppers, good ol' California Wonder Bell, and eight - yes, eight - Jalapeno's!

Cruciferous: Cauliflower - Purple of Sicily, and Broccoli - George's Favorite Blend (my grandfather's name was George, so that's why I picked this one)

And I even started some of the herbs, although I usually have good luck throwing the seeds in a pot or the garden and forgetting about them. So far, Thai Sweet Basil, Lime Basil, Siam Queen Thai Basil (clove-scented, they say) and lots of Oregano. Two other Italian Sweet Basil's will once again be sown in a window box I keep on my deck as well as a couple rows in the garden. And finally, Summer Savory.

All that's left to do now is wait....

Meanwhile, here's a glance at gardens past....

"Memories....Light the corner of my mind...."

Herbs and peppers on the corner of the deck....

Hot cherry peppers and jalapenos after a summer rain....

"Misty, watercolor memories.....

The vegetable garden of 2008 - my first "real" one on a long time...tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, spaghetti squash, butternut, zucchini, summer squash and even a pumpkin (didn't make it, though)

"What's too painful to remember......

....We simply choose to-oooh fo-orget...."

Yes, 2008 was the ice storm, so 2009 we decided we should count our blessings that it didn't fall on us and take down the old maple...

Some of us were more upset about that than others...

Even Martha helped with the clean up...

In fact, it didn't cost us a thing to have it hauled away...Martha just ate it.

BURP!

And as I was browsing through old garden photos, I came upon this one.

That's the one good thing about this time of year...everything is cleared out, so hopefully THIS YEAR we'll be able to maintain this area behind our garage!

So tell me, how does YOUR garden grow? :)

(P.S. Martha can be rented out - cheap! - if you have any major cleaning up to do!)