Mary Mary Quite Contrary, How Does Your Garden Grow?

WITH WATER! And lots of it.

Last year I planted a veggie garden in the same spot as I did last year. I watered every day as I was instructed by many people. I tried to grow a lot of different things. Strawberries, watermelon, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, squash, and eggplant. All I ended up getting was some SMALL strawberries and a handful of tomatoes. I was quite disappointed to say the least. I didn't know what I was doing wrong. Because it was the first time I was planting in that area I made sure I prepped the dirt appropriately. My dad and I rototilled, removed rocks and "debris" from the dirt, and added top soil and fertilizer. I watered every day... and nuthin'.

I decided to give it a go again this year. I planted the plants a little too close together, but last year I spaced them according to the instructions on each type of plant and nothing grew. I correct that, SOME of the plants grew, but none ever sprouted flowers and/or gave off fruit except the strawberries and tomatoes. Since the plants didn't really get big I didn't think I needed to plant them the same distance apart this year.

I planted them back in March. We had been having sun pretty regularly for a little bit so I figured it was time to get to planting. A couple days later, rain. From then until now, the end of May, we've had a week of cold/rain, a week of sun/warmth, a week of cold/rain, a week of sun/warmth, a week of... well, you get the idea!

Again, I had been watering every day, except for the days it rained. Then I let God water them for me. I figured he was giving me a break from that duty since He knew I had lots of other chores to attend to. That didn't end up being the case.

While Jake was recoving from his knee surgery his mom had been here at the house helping out. She and I got to talking out front by the plants and she gave me some tips on how to water more effectively. I needed to be watering slower water and for longer time so the water has time to soak down into the dirt and stay nice and wet. Sure the plants got water when I watered each day before, but I was only watering the top of the soil. The plants need the water to go deeper into the dirt. After only 2 days of good soaking... the plants were already growing! 2 days!!! Each day I could literally see them getting bigger.

Who knew?! OK, probably a lot of people. I had figured I was doing something else wrong since I had been watering each day and nothing was really growing. Now that I've been regularly watering the amount the plants need I've been getting fabulous results. Shyla and I have already been snacking on the peas. This year I planted purple and white eggplant, green, red, and orange bell peppers, straight and crooked neck squash, cucumbers, which are all in the square to the right. The tree is an avacado tree given to us by friends from church who had to move away :( Next to the avacado tree are tomatos, plus there are 2 more tomato plants in the planter boxes behind them on the porch. In front of the tomatoes are 3 melons, 1 watermelon and 2 cantelopes. Past all that is a square that has string beans in the front half and snap peas in the back half. Way to the left of the garden are 2 trees that we removed from a house we were working at. I don't have 100% faith that they are going to work. Actually, the tangerine tree on the right looked in worse shape than the lemon tree on the right, but even though it's small, the tangerine tree still has leaves and little flowers and buds... like it might actually bear fruit! We had a pot that's been empty since we moved in, it "came with the house", that's been sitting in the backyard ever since. I brought it out front and put it by the garage with an Armenian cucumber planted in it. Never had an Armenian cucumber, but I like regular cucumbers, so this one should be good too. If I'm not mistaken, the Armenian type is the one that's skinny and really long.

Here is to the start of something really good, I can taste it! The current size of the cucumber is about as long as a dime, but babies start out small too and they get bigger, so I'm looking forward to what the future will bring me. I'm also starting to get string beans. They look like little tiny ropes right now.