Thursday, July 16, 2009

Vegging Out

During the spring, I looked into joining a vegetable co-op so that we could have fresh, organic veggies throughout the summer. Unfortunately, the cost was a little prohibitive and I really questioned whether or not we could eat a crate of mixed vegetables every week. As a result, Johnnny and I decided to plant our own veggies in our own garden. The only problem was that we didn't actually have a garden to put them in. Well, thanks to Johnnny's unwavering dedication to digging out chunks of sod (we coined our own "strip and jab" technique) and the ultimate free compost from the city...voila! Our newest addition!

The whole process was actually really fun, albeit a lot of work. We ended up settling on a size of about 10 feet by 11 feet to sort of nestle the whole thing under our deck. The huge rock in the front is called "Big Boy". We think it kind of looks like a pendant on a necklace. Johnnny did a great job erecting the fence to keep out not only our very hungry rabbits, but also the neighborhood dogs and curious toddlers next door who for some reason believe that I am growing pizzas in and amongst everything else.

This shot was taken from above on our deck. I put two rows of zinnias (thank you Kris Boland for the seeds!) around the perimeter. Inside are beets (top), green beans (middle), and carrots (bottom). Interspersed are also some different kinds of onions. We've already had one meal of beets with their greens...not only super delicious but sooooo rewarding!

Here's a shot of the zinnias as they are just starting to get going. They make a nice support system for the other plants and I love the way they bring so much color to the garden. Also, I figured if the veggies were a total flop at least we'd have something pretty to look at! Luckily we have full sun and that wonderful compost so we're getting a really nice crop. Can't wait to taste everything else when it's ready!


3 comments:

Johnnny said...

Instead of calling it the Big Boy rock in the middle of the necklace, I think it should be called the JEMstone, since those are my initials.

It was such a good idea to put up that fence right away to keep out the uninvited. Now we just need one around each of our flower rock gardens.

Beth said...

Let's sit on the deck again soon and this time to margaritas! :O) (and maybe eat some fresh beans?!?!?!?!?)

Kit said...

I would say fresh beans should be on the menu by the end of next week. Nobody likes a good margarita more than me, especially with good company! Tequila, anyone? Beth...next weekend looks bueno!