Gardening

 

We have a very sad, pathetic garden at my mother's house.  My brother, the girls and I take care of it.  My brother is busy with work and other engagements elsewhere most of the time.  Although he had an awesome, abundant garden two years ago, he just doesn't have time for it these days.  

The girls and I are always here, but we don't get a lot done.  Most of the time the girls aren't interested in checking on it every evening.  When we do go down to check on it, I am always holding Baby M, which limits what I can do.  I often spend some time admonishing the girls not to step on the plants, or directing them were to plant new seeds.  Sometimes the girls will dig up a weed or two.  Most of the time though, we wait for the automatic sprinklers to come on so the girls can get wet.  That is what gardening is with two 3 year olds and an 8 month old. 

The yellow squash is doing pretty well now that the critters have started to leave them alone.  No fruit is growing yet though, just flowers for now.

The tomato plants, which were looking beautiful for awhile there, were attacked by tomato bugs (tomato hornworms) while the girls and I were out of town.  The picture below is of the aftermath where I found 7 fatty ones chomping away.  For next year's garden, I need to plant marigolds or dill with the tomatoes and get some wasps according to the farmer's almanac. 

 

Currently, there are only two things growing that we can actually eat.  One pepper plant has a single pepper on it, although the plant itself has been devoured by something (a rabbit possibly or pack rat).  I also stuck a leek cutting from the kitchen into the ground a week or two ago and it is doing beautifully.  I did the same with a celery cutting and hope it will also be a success.

 

Although not much is happening in the garden, I am still glad that we have it.  It is a good activity for the girls to learn about where food comes from and for them to get dirty.  Hopefully as they all grow older, we will be able to have a large and productive garden together.