Words Cannot Describe . . .

It's time to face facts. Words such as bountiful, prolific, abundant, and thriving simply do not describe my garden. It is a darn good thing that my family doesn't depend on my farming skills to put food on the table each night. If that were so, words like tragic, unfortunate, sorry charlie, and too bad so sad would come in to play.

My plants are scraggly. Puny. I didn't realize how much until I visited Todd Ames this weekend. He had tomato plants six feet tall, industrial sized stakes needed, thank you very much, to hold up the bounty of fruit being produced. I coveted. I know thou shalt not, but I did. If I tried to tell you I did not, I would be lying, which is another thou shalt not, so I'm kinda stuck on this one.

I have harvested a few cherry sized tomatoes, and a couple of ping-pong ball sized ones. If not for the generosity of my neighbors and mama, I might be tomato starved this summer.

I can't understand it. I prepped the soil. I've mulched, not watered, then watered. Slapped on some Miracle-Gro when things got really desperate. (Sorry, oh organic ones. I have fallen short of the glory.) And yet, puny.

I've given you sunshine, I've given you rain, you've given me nothing, but heartache and pain! I'm begging you sweetly, I'm asking you please, please, grow for me!

Who knows how much longer this garden blog will go on this summer, but take heart. You can read my Lake Wylie restaurant reviews, and other blogs on Lake Wylie living and real estate. Thanks for reading!

No Bugs, just Slugs

Whew, it has been hot hot hot this past week. I feel like I'm on the deck of a Carribean cruise ship with the bongo band, "Hot hot hot!"

We've had a sprinkle or two w/ the thunderstorms, but I've had to water the garden about every other day. The plants, in general, are not as robust this year. I do have some fruit on the vine, though, so I can't complain too much!

My pepper plants are TINY, yet they have peppers growing (albeit one at a time!) to maturity. Kind of like babies having babies. Wonder if there's a teenage pregnancy center for garden plants?

I plucked a DingWall Scotty (tomato) today - - about as big as a golf ball, very light red in color. Not sure if it was ripe, but it seemed to want to come inside.

My squash plants are in TROUBLE. I began to suspect late last week that something was gnawing on their roots, as they seemed to be perishing from the roots up. This morning I spotted a SLUG making its way over to the squash. I grabbed a sturdy leaf and hurried over. (HA! Just kidding. I sauntered over and still beat the sorry creature.)

I carefully put the slug on the leaf, then balanced him gently over to the driveway, where I placed him in the soothing shade of the tire of my husband's pick up truck. Right where he'd get squashed. (Seemed appropriate, given the condition of my squash.)

I know, I know, God's little creature, right? Whatev. I'm thinking God created the slug when He was peeved at Eve.

So that's what happening in the garden. Stay cool.

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Is it June already?

Wow, end of the school year festivities, chaperoning the Choralier trip, graduation, etc. have left me little time for the garden. Thank goodness we've had lots of rain. Everything has survived my neglect!

I went out early this morning, and found that while we were involved in graduation festivites, the garden was having a festival of its own. Weeds were rampant, and some of the tomato plants were growing in rather unruly fashion. It was definitely time to cage 'em up - - actually I think it was time about a MONTH ago. It was a bit of a struggle putting the wire cages over the plants to stake them up. Kind of like putting a snow suit on a wiggly toddler. Unfortunately, I broke a couple of fruitful branches trying to set the wire around the plants.

I've picked a couple of yellow cherry tomatoes so far (from the Lowe's hybrid plant . . . ) Several of the heirlooms have fruit growing now, while others are pretty bare. I'm going to take inventory tomorrow morning. Stay tuned!