Ode to the Joy of Gardening

Out on the farm we have a large raised garden bed.  Naturally, this past spring we dove right in and worked the land.  Actually, last fall Brian planted winter vegetables.  Remarkably, everything sprouted and burst into full leaf.  Our excitement was quickly dampened by a good hard freeze.  And so...dead.  Except for the romaine, which produced for several weeks.  Mr. Resourceful (hubs) built a mini greenhouse to protect said romaine.  It worked like a charm!

This spring Brian turned the garden and plucked the overgrown weeds.  Twice.  I got seeder boxes and planted squash, cucumber, pumpkins, corn and beans.  We bought four each tomato and pepper plants.  Plus, parsley, oregano and English thyme.

And just like that everything started to grow.  The nights were still cold so everything sat on the counter in front of a sunny window, waiting for warmer days. 

Warmer days did come, but so did rain.  Hard, driving rain that would crush our tender seedlings.  Fortunately, Mr. Resourceful built a much larger greenhouse, tall enough to stand up in.  We moved the cucumbers, squash and pumpkins out first.  They loved it!  They grew great big prickly leaves, vines reached outward. 

Mr. Resourceful hard at it!

Then we moved out the beans, which had done so well in the house.  The outside garden proved a bit of a trial for said bean.  It took a while for the beans began to grow, but when they did, oh my!  The vines covered the trellis and soon began growing around whatever it could reach.  Yet, as full as they were, we had no blossoms.  Too hot, as it turns out.  Who knew?

The beans finally filled out

In the meantime, the tomatoes and peppers were moved to the screened porch.  Warm, a bit of sun and a bit of protection.  The tomatoes grew and grew.  The peppers were unimpressed.  More cucumbers and beans went to the porch, as well as the herbs.  The parsley was amazing and rapidly overtook the oregano and thyme.  They didn't see it coming.

Beautiful corn

Cucumbers reaching through the screen

Our garden stretched and reached and climbed.  Energized by the heat and rain, but still protected from the full force of the weather, the garden has flourished.