It’s in and it’s on!

Somehow my peaceful gardening practices have turned into a competition. I love to see everyone succeed in their gardening because I think it’s an overall healthy thing for both the gardener and for their community. However, I don’t like snarky gardeners. After basically being called an amateur by the neighbor – it’s on!

I understand that everyone chooses to do their gardening in their own way -- that is precisely why I don’t question gardeners in their decisions. Everyone has their own vision, their own master plan and that is precisely why I don't assume that someone doesn't know what they are doing. I forget that some people don’t share the same restraint.

I was soaking the ground and raking it in to make sure the soil under the surface was damp when the neighbor said, “You need to get your plants in the ground! It will be October before you know it and you won’t have anything in the ground!” I just smiled and agreed. I cheerfully asked her how her garden was doing and she said it was great, her plants are “up to here,” as gestures waist high. And then she said, “My garden is much bigger than yours.”

Saturday was a big day and Sunday was even bigger. Saturday entailed all of the final soil prep work needed to make a happy new home for my soon to be shocked babes. By the way, Saturday was 86 degrees and it got darned hot out there. I decided to take the hottest part of the day to get the seed packets organized, label stakes, redraw the garden map and get a general game plan.

Sunday was all about getting the little guys in the ground – it was a perfect day for it. It was in the low 70’s and overcast but I was still a bit overwhelmed.

My mind was reeling with all of the plants that needed to go into the ground:

• 3 varieties of Potatoes: French Fingerling, Red and Pearl
• 3 varieties of Cucumber: Lemon, Pickling, Snack
• 2 varieties of Sunflowers
• Green Bush Beans
• Lima Beans
• 2 varieties of Corn (white and yellow)
• Tomatillo
• Sweet Potatoes
• Eggplant
• 21 varieties of Tomatoes (too many to list but they are all heirlooms)
• 2 varieties of Watermelon: Sweet Baby and Crimson
• Cantaloupe
• Honeydew
• 13 varieties of Peppers: Sweet Banana, 3 Bells, Big Jim, Poblano, Anaheim, Jalapeno, Habanero, Cayenne, Martin’s Carrot, Sweet Stuffing, Little Nubian
• Okra
• 12 different herbs: Rosemary, Lavender, Dill, Fennel, Salad Burnet, Summer Savory, Lemon Basil, Sweet Basil, Shiso, Flat Leaf and Curly Leaf Parsley, Caraway
• Flowers: Zinnia, Marigold, Hollyhock, Lupine, Nasturtiums

I also want to do an experiment, I know it might be a long shot but there is no hurt in trying. These are usually cool weathered friends but I’m planting them in a filtered shade area (by the corn and sunflowers and interplanting them with okra).

Soon to be planted:

• Lettuces
• Beets
• Turnips
• Chard
• Carrots

I’m not going to get into my reasoning behind planting my garden in “October” because if you’ve followed my blog you already know the reasoning behind it. Just so you know, I peeked through the fence and saw that her soil is only turned up clay and her plants, as I’m pointing to my ankle, her plants are only “up to there.”

I think she was surprised by my progress by Sunday evening. I want to prove that I know what I'm doing. I hope that I do. Enough said about that.

Daphne