Well, I just need to set the record straight by saying, "Are you KIDDING ME?!"
I took these pictures on Tuesday, and you can see one of the little peanuts I nanny for visiting Grandma JJ and Papa Roy (who helped her with her favorite activity: picking [and eating, of course!] strawberries fresh from the garden). But, what you also see is what mom calls "my poor, sad garden that seems to be waging a losing battle this year."
See what I mean when I say, "Puleeze?"
Her "poor, sad garden" would beat nearly ANY other garden out there (ESPECIALLY gardens in this thoroughly not-conducive-to-gardening part of the state).
She and I were discussing soil quality later that day, Mom explaining to me what humus is, the importance of it, etc., etc. (and, no, it's not the garlicky stuff made with Chick Peas - that's hummus). I said, "See!? This is exactly why YOU should be a Master Gardener!" To which she replied, "No! This is exactly why I SHOULDN'T! I don't know what I'm doing: I just wing it!"
Riiiiiight. But, I'll shut up now and let the pictures speak for themselves. ;)
Ever hear the expression "All show and no go?" That's what my garden is this year. At a quick glance it may look good, but it's just not producing. Although some things are doing okay and I haven't given up hope on everything, my spinach started to bolt when it was 3" high, my zucchini plants won't make zucchinis, the sweet peppers are just now starting to blossom (good luck in reaching maturity there), the cherry tomatoes think green is the only color there is, my broccoli won't form a head, nor will my cabbage, the cucs (started inside!) are still 6" high and shivering, my bean plants are expending all their energy fighting chilblains, I have empty garden beds (which I've NEVER had before), and all the started squash and pumpkin plants died of hypthermia so I planted seeds which didn't germinate so that whole patch is bare ground . . . except for the weeds, of course.
ReplyDeleteThanks, hon, for thinking my garden is okay. But it's just a good thing you're not relying on your mama to supply you with fresh veggies and larder for your root cellar this year!
Chicken Mama, thanks for bringing a big grin to my face after a very long day spent dealing with escaped pigs. Even if your mama's garden is not "producing," there is still actual growth happening there, which is more than most of us can say in Maine. Here, the only thing growing is an amazing crop of mildews, blights, and disturbingly colourful fungi. I'd take Mama Pea's "pathetic" garden over that any day!
ReplyDeleteDon't you hate it when broccoli won't form a head? I mea, come on!! The plants are big and beautiful, so what's the problem?! This is the second year in a row ours has done this sad little trick. Our sweet corn got knocked down by a bad storm today.
ReplyDeleteMama Pea's garden looks good from afar, but I know what she's going through. Thank goodness for raspberries (or in her case, strawberries) is all I can say.
What a beautiful garden, but as you Mom say they are not producing anything. Mine is beautiful- Tomatos plants are huge, but no tomatos same with the cukes squash and corn nothing on the plants for produce.
ReplyDeleteOooh! And now the truth comes out!
ReplyDeleteWell, thanks to everyone who followed me over! It is hard to believe that anything could be "wrong" with a garden that looks so beautiful, but I understand what both Mom and some of you say about "all show but no go" now.
ReplyDeleteToo, my broccoli bolted & then flowered w/in this last week, but I thought sure it was due to something wrong I'd done. Good to hear that seems to be a universal problem this year, too. Why - the lack of sun?
Love the rainbow picture!
ReplyDeleteI think it is the lack of sun and cooler temperatures.