Garden Happiness

So even though I had read so many things that said that gardening is one of the many many things that require experience and lots of trial and error, I had thought that I was way too cool for that. And then I'd had so many summers of flops.

For the first time, I feel comfortable with where my garden is, and I have hopes that what I've planted is accomplishable. My basil seeds are sprouting, and I believe that ALL of my peas and beans sprouted as well. (I mistakenly pulled up two little plants, and replanted one of the peas when weeding -- whoops!) The potatoes either will or will not succeed. I don't care. They were an experiment that I've been intending to let do its own thing anyway.

Speaking of the potatoes, when I first planted them, something dug three of them up. It ate one the first night, and then the next night just dug up and left there two potatoes. I've been giving every squirrel in the neighborhood the stink eye. I also cut off some eyes from another patch of potatoes and planted some more of them, so perhaps I'll have potatoes from them too! I do so love potatoes.

I bought at the Farmer's Market yesterday a little Lemon Basil plant and separated the little stems and replanted them in Basil's old pot with some fresh soil and fertilizer. She's looking a little sad now, but I'll wait until tomorrow to do anything else to her.

I also received gratis two sunflower plants that I still need to put in the ground. But I already scrubbed my hands and washed my face... so I'm not itching to get out there again. :-P

I also put the trellising up for the peas and beans fully today. I had strung some denim "yarn" across each of the post sections parallel to the ground, and zig-zagged some cotton thread weight yarn all around for my little climbing plants. I'll check on them tomorrow as well to see if they need any help in the climbing department.

So I've already made one large batch of mojitos with that massive amount of mint back there. It took a mere two 15" stems. Any help for how to use up mint would be appreciated!

I've been collecting the german chamomile flowers daily, and I'm loving that ritual. It gets me outside, into the garden, and I can check on my plants and do a quick weeding. I've rigged up a screen in the pantry to dry the flowers. It may not have the best air flow, but it's out of the way.

I would like to get my compost set up today, but I'm not sure when I'll get to it. I still need to find a top for the bin, which is one of the reasons that I've been delaying.

So R -- how is this for not failing you?