How My Garden Grows

Hello, folks.  I have been a little slack in the posting department because I have (I am sad to say) been a little slack in the cooking department lately.  With the end of the school year wrapping up, I have been busy doing everything except cooking.  I have given 5 EOG (end of grade) tests, started organizing and cleaning my classroom for summer, started planning end of year events for my students, and I am in the process (a long one) of trying to put together a slideshow for my students (shhh...don't tell).  That has basically left me exhausted and in no mood for the kitchen which has led me to more restaurant meals and grilled cheese sandwiches than a care to mention. 

Tonight I am also not cooking (although I did cook last night so that has to count for something).  I am sure other people get into these ruts.  At least I hope you do.  It will make me feel a little better.  I am promising myself that in 10 days (last day of school) my lifestyle will return to normal and my cooking habits will head in that direction also.  Until then, I leave you with pictures of my garden.  Remember, I am a fairly new gardener, so don't judge me too harshly.  Last night we had a terrible storm which left some of my vegetable plants a little worse for wear.  Some of the tears you see in the pictures are from hail, and I am sad to say, some may be from the slugs I saw on some of my plants today.  I have never had a slug problem in the past, so if you have any suggestions, I am all ears.  I hope to cook something worthy of posting soon, but until then, let's revel in the fact that I am able to get anything at all to grow in my super buggy backyard.  

I am growing my carrots in fairly large terracotta pots this year.  As you can see, they are not fully grown at this point but are well on their way.

The broccoli is doing well, and it shouldn't be long before it is ready.

My afternoon snack most days this week has been a handful of freshly pulled sugar snap peas.  I can never collect enough to cook because I eat them all raw.  They are so fresh, crisp, and delicious. 

The sage is doing well along with what I think is Thai basil (someone gave it to me, so I am not totally sure).  I also have lemon balm, bee balm, chives, Italian basil, thyme, and flat-leaf parsley which are all doing well also.

The onions are growing.  I am hoping that the days are finally getting long enough for them to begin forming bulbs.  I can't wait!  Bee balm is planted in the back.  

My first tomato is growing on one of the Amish Paste tomato vines.  My tomato vines were broken in places last night in the hail storm, and I am hoping they recover with no real loss in the end. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

The cucumbers are beginning to flower.  They were also damaged yesterday by the hail as were the squash vines.  The squash vines had some of the blossoms knocked off in the storm, but a more serious problem are the two slugs I found on the squash vine.  I pulled them off, but if anyone has advice as to what to do to get rid of them, please share.  I have never had a slug problem, and I don't want one now!  You can see the culprit on the small yellow squash to the right of the largest one in the picture. Yuck!

This is a handful of red new potatoes pulled recently.  I am still waiting (probably just until the weekend) for my last container of potatoes to be ready. 

So, that's it.  Hopefully there will be something yummy coming from the kitchen with these goodies in a few days.  Until then, Panera Bread here I come.