Hurray, my garden has taken off! It took a little while, but I’m finally in the swing of things. My 4′ x 5′ space is jam packed with greenery of all sorts, which is much better than meaningless overgrowth.
My (heirloom) green beans are going pretty crazy right now, with blossoms all over. The plants are a lot bigger than I remember them being in the past, but maybe it’s just that my garden is smaller.
The key to really getting results is two-fold. First, I wondered why my lettuce had stalled out at an inch tall. Then I caught a rabbit red-handed, mouth full of leaves. I’m not sure why he left the spinach and everything else alone, but regardless, the salad goes to the one who can drive to Menard’s and build a fence. Part two of my acquired green thumb came with the realization that I wasn’t watering enough. I mean, gosh, who would’ve guessed that a gallon of water once a day wouldn’t be enough? Enter the soaker hose. I don’t know who thought this up, but it’s a seriously great idea. Instead of having to buy a hose and and sprinkler, I just got one hose that gets everything wet. Voila!
My basil, well, it’s failure to thrive is still a bit of a mystery. Based on comments I’ve seen from other people, this seems to be a particular problem this year. I’m still holding out hope for homemade pesto in the freezer this winter, but we’ll see what develops.
I realized today that produce really does mature at the right time. Just when it’s too hot to eat anything that so much as looks like it was heated, cucumbers, spinach, and other cool (literally) things are available. Add some leftover pork roast, cold pasta, and dressing made of plain yogurt, lemon juice and dijon mustard, and behold: one of the best things I’ve created in recent memory.
Pilgrims in an Unholy Land 