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The Frustrated Gardener

I’ve wanted to have a garden for quite a while, but the layout of our yard didn’t really have a place to put one.  Earlier this summer, we decided to take a small area that is walled on three sides between the garage and side of the house and turn it into a garden.  We put a block barrier across the area, tilled it up and added soil.  Then, off to the store to buy some plants.

Earlier, I had started some herbs from seed in large pot containers.  I took the pack of basil seed and kind of ignored the directions and put the entire pack in a large pot.  A full pot of basil popped up – along with thyme and oregano in another pot.  They were replanted into the garden (Yes, for the big pot of basil, I dug a wide hole and stuck the whole thing in there – that’s why it looks like a Basil bush….)

As far as watering, there were two sprinkler heads in the corners for the grass that was there at one time and the condensation from the airconditioning unit drains next to the chimney.

While at Lowe’s, Home Depot and Enchanted Forest looking at plants, we came home with an eclectic collection.  First, Carly wanted a watermelon plant – don’t know what I was thinking and shouldn’t have been surprised when it grew across the ground from the back corner where I planted it.  It was battled only by the cucumber plant that Carly also wanted.  Next time, we won’t put those in here – may try another place in the planter…..

We bought several types of tomato plants from small ones to heirloom varieties and even one that Carly started as an experiment at Sci-Quest.  We also put in green and red peppers, mint, rosemary and a couple of other items.

The tomato plants grew like crazy and I had stakes which I had to replace with tomato cages.  They grew out of the top of the cages and in some cases, got too heavy for the cage to hold.  I wish I could tell you about all the great tomatoes we ate, but only one of the plants was kind enough to grow some – our Juliet cherry tomatoes.  So, I’m great at growing tomato plants, but not tomatoes.  We were successful with the cucumbers – had a LOT of those!

So the lessons I learned ….  Plant at the right time (we planted too late this year).  Plan your plants better (Don’t be surprised if vine plants like cucumbers and watermelons take over!).  Looking forward to better success next year!

This Post Has 3 Comments

  1. Think about growing up. Vine veggies do well on trellises. Cucumbers, for example, don’t lay on the ground, therefore ripen on all sides evenly.

  2. CC….you did extremely well……even though you think you have not planted at the right time. Your garden looks beautiful and I know next year will be even better.
    I will definitely grow basil from seed………and will do as you did…..pour the whole package into the pot and grow it as a bush. Buying plants in the spring is so expensive and then they barely grow. What a great idea!!!!!!!

  3. Kim – I should have thought of that (or done my research first…..), but certainly “learned by doing.” You are right, the cucumbers often were a bit yellow on the side on the ground. Maria – thanks for the kind works, but I was hoping to grow tomatoes, not vines and leaves – We’ll do better next year! On the basil I used about a 20 inch diameter top pot to start – but when I started the basil, we hadn’t decided to do the garden yet. Last year, I left them in the pot – thinking of moving some inside for the winter….

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