Last month, I told you I started a garden. And guess what? It’s thriving!
My beets were the first to sprout and they are standing strong. I need to figure out when to harvest them but I have a little time. This is all very new to me so I am learning as I go along. I’ve learned a lot about choosing the right seed varieties, planting seeds and companion crops and creating the best soil conditions.
Next, I have to figure out how to harvest the veggies, prevent plant disease and keep squirrels, bunnies and birds away from the buffet.
The garden specialist at Pike told me not to try lettuce or spinach in March. She said it was too late for these cool season crops. At just $2 per pack of seeds, I decided to push the envelope and do it anyway. The spinach didn’t work out (I have to let it go) but my lettuce looks good! Can’t wait to use it in salads.
I’m super excited about the basil. It’s a sweet variety – a green and purple mix. It’s going to be perfect paired with tomatoes this summer and I will finally pull out the food processor to make enough pesto to get through the winter.
Though not shown here, I’ve also planted tomatoes, 3 different peppers, okra, carrots, green beans and parsley. I will plant cucumber this week. I need to decide if I’ll use the vine or bush variety. The vine ones require some sort of trellis that I need to investigate. Not sure I want to go there just yet. I also need to plant my sunflowers. From what I understand, they are excellent for attracting bees and butterflies which help with pollination.
Do you have a garden? What flowers do you plant with your veggies? And have you tried coffee grounds, peppermint oil or other (non-fence) deterrents to successfully keep wildlife out of your garden?
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