Not the photo, but the subject of the photo. I wish we could grow bougainvillaea here.... Luckily though, this started me thinking about my garden, which started me thinking about when I should start my garden, which made me realize that I need to start soon!
Every year I waste time and money going out and buying pre-sprouted seedlings because every year I neglect to start some seeds indoors. The reasons vary. Too morning sick to think about it, too busy to think about it, no room for the trays in the sun, no room for the trays where boys won't get into them, no time or space for anything! But the universal reason is always that I never think about planting until the weather gets really warm and then by that time it's too late.
This year will be different though [triumphant finger raising and avowing]! I have officially blogged about it, so now I need to do it. First task, gotta decide what I want to plant. Here's a sampling of one of our harvests last summer:
We always plant tomatoes, and lots of them. There's nothing I dislike more than supermarket tomatoes, so we plant a lot then I roast/stew and freeze them. (Did you know that tomatoes do not ripen off the vine? The will change colour and soften but never become sweeter... hence the horrendous taste of tomatoes from the store.) Carrots were fun for the kids... Herbs, always herbs... We had eggplants and peppers as well last year, which were really nice. My hubby enjoyed his patch of Scotch Bonnet peppers which he turned into a mean Jerk rub. We had lettuce too, but we now have a resident rabbit who I've been "generously" feeding with my vegetable garden... so the lettuce will have to be on hold unless my hubby builds me the salad table that I've been promised (hint hint).
I think this summer's strategy will be different though - we're investing in a farmshare with a local farm/CSA (community supported agriculture). So I probably shouldn't overdo it with my own veggie garden. Don't want things to go to waste simply because I didn't get around to preserving them. I was thinking that the kids may enjoy growing pumpkins. Never grew them before because they take up so much room, but since harvest volume will not be my primary aim this year, maybe we can experiment...
Anyway, hoping to get out in the next week and check out what neat heirloom seeds are readily available for those of us who didn't think to order ahead. Wish me luck. I'll probably be posting a picture of my one year-old eating soil and seedlings in the near future :)
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