My goodness, it has been a while. I was doing so well, posting semi-regularly, until I wasn't. And, when did March turn into MAY???
Of course I'm making stuff, but this post is about this year's container garden on my front porch. I've started it again, and including the aloe vera and the irises from last year, which are both spreading out, although the irises did not bloom this year. I really hadn't expected them to, because they've only been planted here for one year, and I think it takes a couple before they bloom, but they seem happy and thriving, none-the-less.
 |
| About half the garden, irises on the left |
Last year, one of my favorite plants was the basil that I grew. It smell so good when I went out to water. I planted some in the tower again, but it was a little later than the rest of the seeds, so it hasn't come up yet (but I've seen evidence of sprouting, yay!) I have some corn this year too, and some of it looks pretty healthy. I also planted tomatoes and beans. Last year I harvested a few of each and I'm hoping for more this year. We'll see.
 |
| The other half of the garden. |
I planted almost everything from seeds again this year. Except that tomato plant. I pick that up at Walmart to give me a head start on the tomatoes (hopefully). It looked very healthy, and had blossoms on it already. It actually had a tomato on it already too, but I didn't see that until I got home. Last year all my flowers starts died (except for the irises) but this year they are giving me more hope. Some mixed seeds in the box and on the window sill, and some marigolds in the tower again this year (they are doing better than last year).
It isn't much in terms of a "real" garden. I'm not fooling myself that this is going to feed my family in any meaningful way. I am happy to have growing things, though. To feel some accomplishment when they sprout and grow. I'm not even mad if they fail. The beans in that left white grow bag grew, and even blossomed, and then dried up. I don't think I had enough soil in the bag, and they just didn't have the roots they needed. Poor babies. I put some more soil in it (and around them, in case they wanted to perk up) and planted some more beans.
What I really think I enjoy is how that tomato plant really hit me with the smell of tomato plant yesterday. I really want to smell that basil again. Did I cook with it? One time, I think, but I enjoyed the fragrances of the two varieties I had late into the fall. I want that again. Inside the house, in my plant window, I have some celery growing. It smells so fresh in with the geraniums that are also growing there (three different varieties). So, evidently, I enjoy the smells of the growing things. I never took the time to realize that in my previous small efforts at keeping plants alive. Who knew? I didn't.
