First Garden 2013

This year Im really into gardening. 

Maybe it's because I've never had a garden before, maybe it's because I love being outside in the spring/summer, maybe it's the thought of all those fresh fruits and veggies... I don't know.  What I do know is that I'm really enjoying it. 

Cell Phone picture of my little helper and I at home depot April 26th, 2012

This fall I moved into a little place that had a few spots where I could grow things, as spring approached I thought "why wait, I've always wanted to do this."  It was a little overwhelming in the beginning (I've never done this before),  all I could do was take a deep breath rolled up my sleeves and jump into the weeds.



Cell phone picture of us weeding the little raised box in my back yard.

There was a little raised box in the back yard that my house shares with the neighbors and it was full of weeds. I bought gloves, a hand shovel, a hand rake, grabbed my best friends daughter and went to town on our side of the box.

Showing off our new gloves and tools

It took us hours to weed, remove all the big rocks and glass out of the box but we did it.

In my half of the box we planted:
7 Tomatoes (Planted April 26th)
1 Habenero Pepper (Planted April 26th)
1 Basil Plant (Planted April 26th)
and a few succulent plants for decoration.

One of my tomato plants, with tomato cage

Note:   The tomatoes have been planted for almost a month and they are hanging in.  The week after they were planted, it snowed and I had to cover them with a sheet at night.  Honestly, I'm just happy I haven't lost any of them yet!  One plant seems to have a little tomato growing it is tiny but makes me so happy (grow little baby tomato, grow).



Next we had some old pots at the house. 
The old tenants left them and even though they were ugly we made those old pots into a potted herb garden:

1 Rosemary Plant (Planted April 26th)
1 Mint Plant (Planted April 26th)
2 Basil Plants (Planted April 26th)

For fresh mint lime and mint lemon aid

There was a old sandbox in the yard which we converted into a garden. 
I was worried that plants wouldn't grow in a sand box but my older sister told me to add soil and mulch.  That's just what I did, after 4 bags of soil and 1 bag of mulch, we planted:

4 Strawberry plants (Planted April 26th)
3 Raspberry bushes (Planted April 26th)
1 Rhubarb plant (Planted April 26th)
1 Package, Watermelon seeds (Planted May 13th)
1 package, Lettuce seeds (Planted May 13th)

I also added a little red rock path between the first row of Strawberries and the Raspberries.

my little red rock path in my sandbox garden

Note:  Birds have been a big problem for my poor strawberries, they are eating all my berries and have trampled my plants.

Space in front of the house.
This area has partial light so I planted:
Lavender in the flower boxes (Planted April 26th)
Squash (Planted April 26th)
Zucchini (Planted April 26th)

It sounds like a lot but they brighten my life and make me happy.

Other Plants:

I also have a little Succulent/Cactus pot

Succulent/cactus pot
 

A Orange Tree which I am leaving outside for the summer and then bringing inside as soon as it gets cold.

My cute aunt and I with my Blood Orange tree.

A Orchid I bought myself for my Birthday.

Wish me luck on my new little adventure!!!!

 

Special Note:  I was visiting my aunt and uncle over the easter holiday; my uncle and I were talking by the pool about his citrus trees, I told him I had always wanted a citrus tree.  I didn't think anything about the conversation and took a nap by the pool, when I woke up he and my cute aunt had run to the store and bought me one... I was overcome by the sweetness and love they have always showed me.  I am so blessed to have these two in my life. 

 

 

Amazing Examples of Unselfish Love and Kindness, My Aunt and Uncle.