My Mother Told Me So

Before I begin this post, let’s all give my all-knowing, all-seeing mother a collective acknowledgment that she was the one that said I didn’t have time for growing a vegetable garden with everything else that is going on in my life. Happy, Meem?

Vegetable gardening in the desert is a constant battle between me, the elements (as in sun, heat, and lack of water), and the pesky creatures to whom I am willing to sacrifice a wee bit of produce if only because I am a bleeding heart of a person and I know they need to eat, too. It’s not like I am battling Orcs here, just wee chipmunks and wabbits and birds and lizard-lizards and snakes (collectively they are beginning to sound Orc-like, huh?)

As you can see, the garden is going okay. Lushest (not a word, I know; it’s my blog) of all are the potato plants growing in the center where the obelisk lives. That’s because they came from a rotting bag at the bottom of my pantry and cost me very little in effort or expense. Scattered among them are differing types of lettuce, some faring better than others. Oddly enough, I planted the seeds for these back in January when we had (repeat after me) the harshest frost in over twenty years. All of a sudden, they decided to sprout. Go figure, the wonders of nature.

Next in line for outstanding achievement in a soil or growing medium is the broccoli, very leafed out, all growing florets, though some are tinged with yellow which concerns me. If the flavor doesn’t live up to our expectations, I am sure the chickens/turkeys/ducks/sheep/alpaca/ (and particularly) goats won’t mind trying some.

The cauliflower is a close second. Yet, these things have been growing for some time and therefore have had a head start.

It’s the Cucurbita family with which I have issues. I planted pumpkin, muskmelon, and cucumber seeds which all sprouted and disappeared within a twenty four hour period. This does not make me happy; I am willing to give up some, yet not all of these things. I especially like cantaloupe, plain, salted, over cottage cheese; I like its sweet goodness. Therefore, in a most likely futile attempt to dissuade the marauders, I went to Targét and purchased hot pepper plants, the hottest ones they had, habañeros, serranos, some Carribean red pepper that claims to be twice as hot as a habañero, six hot peppers in total. Between the seed mounds, I planted the hot pepper plants (as a warning to the garden Orcs, I stuck the I-am-a-very-hot-pepper tag in front of each pepper; they can all read, you know), replanted seeds, and will spend the next week watering the garden ten times a day (at the least, it’s supposed to be 90 today heading to 93 by week’s end). We shall see. Honestly, it’s the least of my worries right now. Charlotte, remember?

Curiously enough, (Am I the only one with Alice in Wonderland in my head, i.e. curiouser and curiouser? I am beginning to realize how strange a being I truly am.) the non-sweet squash, as in yellow crookneck and zucchini are thriving. Of course, the zucchini takes top honors for overall health and vigor because, you guessed it, I hate the stuff. Unselfish being that I sometimes can be, I planted it for the members of my family that enjoy the bitter courgette. Ugh.

I could go on about the bush beans and the beets that, like the lettuce decided to sprout months after their seeds were sown or the actually-doing-well herb garden or the fact that perchance I should have just planted violas but I have a sheep’s rear end to go gaze upon once again. I don’t think I’ve looked at my husband’s butt this much and we’ve been married for twenty years (not that it’s not a very cute bum hunny because it is and still makes my insides all tingly).

Here’s to good ewes (and rams)!

Addendum for the day: >(I guess you can claim this one Beth)

No lambs as of yet. I am doing my best to let go, let God (this is what Aunt Bonnie always tells me to do, my mother as well). Beth has today, April 5th with triplet ewes. Since mom's name is Charlotte, she is being literal, literally, as in the Bronte sisters.

Letting go has never been one of my strong suits.

Comments

[Karalyn]

Lauren: My beautiful tomato plants arrive this week from the Heirloom Tomato Lady and they will be planted this weekend. Get yourself some Earthboxes and you won't have to worry about the watering issue. You can actually make "fake" earthboxes (I have the instructions if you want them). My friend Julie, who lives in Surprise, AZ, has made a number of them very inexpensively and is looking forward to great produce. Your garden is doing miraculously well!! Congrats! I was truly sorry to hear that poor hunney's bun is being ignored! That's not a good sign, LOL!

[Michelle]

You get an "A+" for an admirable effort at diverting your and our attention away from poor Charlotte's rear end for a post. I should take a picture of our "garden" for you to make you feel truly superior, as right now we have a bumper crop of grass and some volunteer Swiss chard!

[Kathy]

"Let go, let God" is OK...just remember God couldn't be everywhere so He made Moms!
I am so surprised that the cool-weather crops are doing so well down there. We can't even plant the garden until May or June. Global warming may be extending our growing season though...this year things have started greening up earlier than we've ever seen here. Just my luck we'll have another 4th of July frost!

[Beth in WI]

Oh, Charlotte Brönte. I guess that's one way you could go with it. :)