Several times this week, I’ve found myself telling people that my garden is the one thing that has saved my sanity over that past few months. I think it’s true. I have had this one, large hobby with which to occupy a chunk of time. I have planned it, constructed the boxes, filled them with mountains of compost, mulch, and vermiculite, mixed, planted, spent hours at the nearby nurseries, removed pests by hand, thwarted others with forks, put up small fences, trained, pruned, weeded, and gotten dirty.
I have harvested several handfuls of green, purple, and yellow beans, about 6 zucchini, 4 cherry tomatoes, bunches of parsley and basil, a few strawberries, and one perfectly round and beautiful beet. The season is just beginning. Today, I realized I won’t have to go to the farmer’s market this week, since we have leftover chicken and sausage from last week, and I don’t need to be purchasing any vegetables for at least 3 months. My vegetables are better than the ones at the market, anyway. Neener neener.
I love my garden, and I’m proud of it. I don’t think it’s enough. I need more boxes, more vegetables. I’ve started trolling the rare seed websites for new things to plant, and I’m planning in my mind how I will grow my own seedlings for next year. I am especially obsessed with winter squashes. Here are some of the ones I want to grow (scroll over the photo for the name of each squash):
Are they not fantastic, and beautiful? How do I choose? Will the ones I don’t choose feel sad that they were rejected? Can I bribe my neighbors to plant some, and then have a neighborhood squash swap?
July 11, 2008 at 11:15 pm
I would go with the Amish pie pumpkin and the green striped cushaw. I don’t know why, but I just would.
July 11, 2008 at 11:47 pm
I think the squash you don’t pick will suffer from deep depression. They will pine for you East of Eden. Fast en zeker heb je een heel goede garden gemaakt. Ik wens dat ik ook so iets kon hebben. I wish I had time to plant a garden ;(
July 12, 2008 at 12:34 am
They look great, but those names! WONderful! I would definitely choose by name. I love the way jack be littles look, no idea how they taste, but now that I know their name, I love them even more. Queensland blue isn’t as pretty, but I think you MUST have a blue variety. Don’t you need to talk to people about how your queensland blues are doing, or how delicious your queensland blue was for dinner? The shamrocks are pretty cute. The turk’s turban is very interesting, but a little icky, too. (think Alien)
You have to tell us which ones you choose.
July 12, 2008 at 7:33 am
Rachel, I think those two are shoe-ins. How could you resist and Amish heirloom? Something about the name inspires trust and confidence. And cushaw? I’ve never seen one, but apparently they’re all over in the South.
Emily, u bent ijverzuchtig, maar dat is OK. Het is werkelijk een goede garden. Maar ik krijg niet om het orgaan meer te spelen. Bu-hu.
Lisa, guess what? I planted a blue this year, for exactly that reason! I did the Jarrahdale, which is the only blue that was available at the nursery, and I couldn’t resist. That was before I started doing research and found all the others. And I’m actually not sure anyone I’ve ever met wants to hear another single thing about my garden. I’m so boring! Don’t you think the Shishigatani on its side looks more like an alien than the Turk’s Turban?
July 12, 2008 at 1:33 pm
It kinda does, but I was mostly thinking of the something-kinda-creepy-looking’s-coming-out-of-it. It’s a bit of a gruesome pumpkin, in my book. Who knows? Maybe it tastes good. Then again, maybe the Aliens from the movie do to.
July 12, 2008 at 9:49 pm
I am a sucker for all pie making pumpkins, and obviously the Amish is a shoe-in…
I guess I would just want to know what tastes good. am very mange-mange right now.
July 12, 2008 at 10:05 pm
mangiare… s’cuse me.
July 13, 2008 at 7:11 am
Don’t you mean ‘scusi’? Non c’e niente.
July 13, 2008 at 8:04 pm
I would totally join you in the neighborhood squash swap…if you know, I was in the neighborhood.
I’d plant the green cushaw one, did you know you can make bird houses out of those?
This year I finally figured out where I can put a garden, so that is progress.
July 14, 2008 at 8:25 am
Oh, I love those UFO-looking ones in the upper right corner.
I love wacky squash, even if I have no idea what to do with it half the time.
I don’t think my squash likes the shade much.
Also, I am the first person in the history of the world whose mint is not growing. Our oregano, however, is literally taking over the front yard.
July 14, 2008 at 8:29 am
Sketchy, I knew there was some gourd that you could do a birdhouse with, but I didn’t know it was the cushaw. I guess they’re also supposed to be pretty good eatin’, but since I’ve never even seen one…
Elizasmom, HA! My mint died too! Then I thought it was growing a new shoot, but that appears to have given up as well. Argh.
July 14, 2008 at 8:59 am
Those pumpkins are great – except a couple that look kinda modly or alien or something. Why do squashes have to have all those warty bumps on them?
July 14, 2008 at 9:49 am
See. I get really excited about my garden each year but then a month or so into it, I just let the whole thing perish. I’m proud of you little Sarah.
July 15, 2008 at 10:51 pm
This is totally depressing me–I’ve planted four pumpkin patches this summer and my neighbor’s kittens have romped through every one.
*sigh*