It’s time to go play in the dirt

It’s early May, and it’s time to garden and play in the dirt! I am probably late for Texas standards, but I’ve had a lot going on.

But I am starting to pay attention to my garden.

I just got home from a trip to Florida last week (see my runDisney post at Am I a runner?), so my garden was neglected for a few weeks.

That being said, I don’t dare leave in our hot, dry summer. My poor plants would die of thirst! But going on a trip in early spring or late fall, they survive without me.

I do need to nurse a few back to vibrant life. And I had to plant the tomatoes I forgot to plant before leaving.

What’s growing?

Otherwise, I have baby cucumbers and eggplant already! Last year, I planted two cucumber plants. This year, I doubled that number. This should be fun! I still need to go out and plant my peas and pole beans. Last year, there was only one of each, and they did great, but I didn’t have a lot. Oh, and I almost forgot we have so many baby peppers!

My herbs? Suffice it to say they are taking over their bed. Herbs seem to thrive on neglect. I read once that herbs are weeds we have learned to use for our purposes. That is so easy to believe! My rosemary is starting to resemble a tree. My lavender, which I had to transplant, is beginning to come back. The oregano? It’s all over the place and needs a bit of a trim.

This year, I started experimenting with some flowers as well. I can’t tell you what is in the ground off the top of my head, but they are blooming! I have plans for a few more beds that will be nothing but flowers. If the weather cooperates, that will be this week’s project.

 

I also have figs! We planted that tree ten years ago, and until last year, I didn’t get much. Last year, I got a lot, and this year, it looks like I’ll double that amount!

Does anyone have a good recipe or idea of what to do with figs?

I didn’t start out as a gardener

Now, I didn’t start out as a gardener. I remember Dad planting one every year, but I never helped. Well, except to go out and pick strawberries—rows and rows of strawberries. Most days, I had to do it twice a day, but they were so good! I remember my grandparents having a large garden every year as well. The new potatoes and peas my Grandmother Davis used to make were some of my favorites!

This is the first time we’ve lived where I could play in the dirt. I could plant roses and jasmine, but a real garden? When you rent, it isn’t really feasible. Now that we own our own home, which came with a fenced-off area perfect for a small garden, I am thriving in it.

But we also have a sunroom off the living room. I am not sure what they were thinking when they built it. The windows don’t open, and there isn’t a door to the backyard or even a working ceiling fan. But I have changed it into where I grow microgreens! I started a batch of broccoli and peas yesterday! I even set up a hydroponics set again and planted lettuce!

So it’s that time of year! What are you planting in the dirt this year?