Veggies!

After a week away, I was thrilled to get home and see the vegetable garden thriving. A very little weeding was all that was necessary, and everything is progressing nicely. I have already been harvesting the swiss chard -- yum! If I take it frequently when it is small I can use the stems and all and it is tender and sweet. I should be able to harvest summer squash within a couple of days. Tomatoes and peppers are emerging and just need to ripen. The pole beans have blossoms which means that beans aren't far behind. And can you see the size of those onions? I actually don't know what I'm going to do with them all so I hope this variety stores well.

The peppers will be a bit of a surprise. I think I started three or four varieties from seed, then sent the seedlings off in 4" pots to a friend's greenhouse. Alas, the masking tape labels did not return with the mature plants. I randomly planted what I had, assuming that I would be able to figure out what is what eventually.

I have been an enthusiastic perennial flower gardener for many years. I originally didn't have much interest in growing vegetables, but a friend convinced me to try it. Because of the wet clay in my yard, I have to build raised beds for the vegetables. It's a lot of work but I'm gradually adding space each year. I have to say that I am completely hooked on the vegetable gardening now. There is very little I find as thoroughly satisfying as growing my own vegetables organically. I know exactly where each bite of food came from. And the taste! I love inviting people to dinner and telling them what parts of the meal came from my own garden. I am already planning to add more space next year, and thinking about what to grow more of (swiss chard) and what new things to grow (radishes). During the winter, I will pore over the seed catalogs to discover new varieties to try. I even got a second freezer to store the extras. Between the rise in food prices and the increasing safety concerns (salmonella, e coli, etc.) I think I'm coming out way ahead.