It has been a strange Spring. The beginning of May was unseasonably cold, and the end of the month was crazy hot. Plus, I have been super busy, so the putting my garden kept getting pushed back. I am glad to say, even though it took to the last, very hot weekend, that it is finally planted ?

This year, I planted:

Grape Tomatoes

Broccoli

Cucumbers

Carrots

Spinach

Lettuce

Bell Peppers

Sweet Potatoes

And this year’s “trial” garden crop is Blueberries ? I hope they do well, I love blueberries.

Last year’s trial crop was Beauregard Sweet Potatoes. I wasn’t sure if they would work in my growing zone. Everything I’ve read about them say they like a long, hot growing season. I tried anyway … I planted the vines on Mother’s Day and harvested on October 15^th. I was thrilled with my crop ? I had 2 boxes full of keepers (I need to get a scale to weigh them this year). I had at least 15 nicely shaped, smooth potatoes along with a bunch of miss-shapen, gnarly looking ones (which were delicious, btw). There was a curing period of a few weeks, then I stored them in a basket in the cool, unfinished section of my basement. They lasted through the winter and we just ate the last one on Mother’s Day weekend ?.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring time is my favorite time in the garden.  I love the planning phase of gardening, and I love the planting. Even the watering every night and seeing the growth is fun in the beginning. Somewhere around mid-July, taking care of my garden starts becoming more of a chore than a joy. Sadly, it’s not uncommon to find just as many weeds as vegetable plants in my garden by the end of August. I’m sure a consistently weeded garden bed would yield more, but my garden produces just enough fresh produce to feed my family and some to preserve for the winter months … and that’s good enough for me?

Do you have a vegetable garden? A flower garden? A little of both?