Best and Worst of My Garden - May 2012

ground cherries 5-30, originally uploaded by Bumble Lush.

Two days ago I was ready to list the ground cherries as a "worst." The seeds I started in April dried up and died during a week when I was out of town. I planted a couple more ground cherry seeds when I got back, and none germinated. I planted more seeds in late April and early May . One germinated, and then I got busy with work, forgot to keep the seed cell moist, and that seedling died. I tried a different container (the black one above), but because it was outside, I'm not sure if what germinated is a ground cherry seedling or a weed. It looks like other weeds I've yanked.

Every time a seedling would emerge, I would accidentally forget about it or go out of town, and it would die. When I was home and watchful, nothing germinated. Frustrated, I decided to plant exactly ONE ground cherry seed smack in the middle of this purple container so I'd know that it is a ground cherry--if it ever germinated. A week or so went by, and nothing. Then I went outside this evening, and there's the seedling, right in the middle where I planted it!! I'm cautiously optimistic about this. I think my "Worst" may be coming around!


Other "Almost Worsts" are the other tomato plants that I started from seed. Throughout May, they barely grew and there were several days that I came home from long 12-hour workdays and just forgot or didn't feel like tending them, hardening them off, watering them, etc. Some days I was too tired to even care that I was neglecting my garden. But then, after work loads eased up last week and I gave them a little attention, they began growing quite noticeably overnight. The picture above is a mortgage lifter and basil I started from seed.




As for the "Best"--May goes to the strawberries. We've harvested four pints so far!


This month I learned about how resilient plants can be, in spite of their sometimes neglectful owners. I thought I'd have nothing but dried up tomato seedlings and zero ground cherries, but I think I'm getting a second chance.

If you'd like to share any Best and Worst happenings in your garden this month, feel free to link up.

First Tomato of the Season!

chocolate cherry 5-26, originally uploaded by Bumble Lush.

Husband and I spent the holiday weekend in Charlottesville, VA, continuing our self-directed American History tour (will post about that getaway later), but before we left, I noticed that one of the tomato plants has fruit. Two cute little tomatoes have formed on the chocolate cherry tomato plant. We've never grown this type before, and I'm looking forward to tasting them.

I've been taking pictures of most of my veggie plants every week to follow their progress, but sometimes things seem to happen overnight. The weekend was hot, sunny, and humid, and I think the plants loved it. When we came back last night (we were only gone two days), so many of the tomato plants had doubled in size. I can't wait to see how things continue to grow. Maybe my veggie garden this year won't be a total loss.

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend!

Strawberry Season Is Here!

berry harvest 5-16, originally uploaded by Bumble Lush.

It's Year 2 of my strawberry patch, and I've had two berry harvests so far this month. The picture above is a pint I harvested last Wednesday.



A few days before, I had harvested a half-pint from my patch. We ate the berries as snacks and mixed some into smoothies. The next batch we harvest may have to go into pancakes or a shortcake.



We went to my father-in-law's for the weekend, and when we got back yesterday afternoon, I noticed more red in the patch. It's raining pretty hard today, but I need to go out and harvest those ripe berries. I'm happy to see that some of them are pretty big!




My FIL's friend Al (who has an amazing vegetable garden in Oklahoma), suggested that we pinch of the buds during the strawberry plants' first year. This helps establish the plants and encourages greater growth in the second year. I got that advice too late, and didn't snip any buds off last year. But our strawberries this year are bigger and more prolific than they were last year anyway. We love strawberries, and I'm happy to have some home-grown berries to harvest and add a little burst of color to the garden.

Today I'm linking up with Daphne's Dandelions' Harvest Monday and joining others in showing off our harvests.

p.s. A post I wrote last year on how to freeze strawberries.