My Little Vegetable Garden

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

I invested in a few vegetable plants to grow in pots. Against my better judgement I was just too excited about growing veggies so bought seedlings with a friend and kept them in her garden until I moved in. I had only intended to get one or two plants but I am a go big or go home kind of girl, so I left the organic garden centre with quite a stock. I'm also a hands on learner, so other than talking to people and a few quick google searches, I didn't do much research, lol. I figured it would be an experiment.

So I planted my seedlings in small pots in my friends backyard to make them easy to transport when I moved and figured I would plant them in something bigger when I moved in. I bought three cedar planters, and I have a few big pots.

When I bought the tiny little seedlings I had no idea how quickly they would grow to a nice big size. I was also expecting to find the time to transplant them much sooner than now. By the time I got to transplanting them they had already grown so much I wasn't sure if I should move them. So far I moved the red pepper plants and the eggplants, but now I'm thinking they are too close together.

The red peppers are starting to come in but not the eggplant:

I also moved the set of red onions, but I'm not sure they will make it because they were too close together in the pot for too long and all their roots were connected and I had to seperate them.

What concerns me most are the tomotatos. I put two seedlings in one big pot because, well, I was out of pots. I figured I would move them each into their own giant clay pot as soon as I moved in. Well the plants grew huge really fast and now I'm not sure I can move them.

I'm not sure if should leave them be, or try moving them both together into one of the cedar planters, or try seperating them. They are already sprouting tomatos.

I also grew zuccini from seed and the little seedling is not looking happy. I might try again in one of the cedar planters.

as well as snap peas, which I'ven now learned should have been planted super early on in spring as peas do better in cool weather and it is stinking hot here.

And finally, I have a couple pots filled with herbs, like lemon grass, bay leaves, parsley, oregano, rosemary and mint. All are doing wonderfully except perhaps the Thai Basil, which is flowering and I've been told that isnt' good when it comes to herbs.

I may not have the perfect vegetable garden, but I'm really enjoying learning and am loving having a back yard to learn in. The other day while out on a walk we ducked in behind the community centre, and saw a little gravel path that went behind some trees. We followed it and came out on the otherside to find an enormous community allotment garden. I'm going to consider getting on the list for a plot next year. It's only ten minutes from home, and would probably be much better than growing vegetables in pots.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Nothing to lose.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

you're right. I am watering twice a day, and get almost that much sun. That's a good idea about the zuccini!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Plants in pots usually require water more frequently than plants in the ground, as the soil dries out quicker, too.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Very true. Looks like we're about to have a thunder storm which will spare me since we had no rain yesterday and some pots are already dry. Some things like New Guinea impatiens need water more than once a day, therefore not for me. But melons and squash use a lot of water.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

My neighbours next door showed me their garden patch and said the water melons and cucumber got eaten up by something.  They have a much much bigger yard so lots of space for planting in the ground. I'm glad I'm using pots instead. Less bugs, even if it means more water.

[F, Calla & Luca]

That's all true. There are caterpillars and worms and chipmunks and all manner of voracious things out to get their fill.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Oh, I so understand you.  I think gardening is experiential learning at its best.  If you don't enjoy a yard, why have it.  I have had a yard for nearly forty years and I "experiment" all the time with plants.  Sometimes it turns out wonderful, sometimes I move it and sometimes I just start over.  I love to google about gardening, but I love finding out for myself in my yard what grows best, where. 

 

You are already enjoying your yard, hurray for you!