by Mary McDonald
In the Spring, I eyed a space that I felt would make a small garden. Now did this city girl know anything about gardening? I’m afraid not.
Mick got excited about the project, wanting to purchase a rear-tine tiller for $700. Nope, I broke up the entire space with a hoe!
Having done that it was time to plant. I read the instructions on the packages and followed them exactly at least I thought.
Then it rained, and rained and rained! The seeds washed to various new spaces. I was delighted with the plants until they grew enormously with no vegetables being produced.
After weeks, I began to get a lot of cucumbers! Time to make pickles, right? I spent about $120 on canning pots, jars, and various other devices. I made 5 pints of pickles. I was horrified that they might not seal. However, the one I opened was sealed tight. The pickle was crunchy and tasted like a dill pickle. I prefer the store bought kind better So much for homegrown. The other 4 pints were sent home with my granddaughter for her to share with her mother and sister.
“Be sure they are sealed,” I cautioned her. Have not heard a peep out of any of them; hope they survived.
By now black eyed peas were beginning to be ready for harvesting, about 2 tablespoons a day! I am freezing them. So far, I have about 2 bags worth.
My great granddaughter picked a ripe tomato when she was here in late May. The rest are beginning to look like they will eventually get ripe. Have gotten two more so far with less than a dozen on the vine.
Squash plants are gigantic! Pretty sure they are not supposed to be that big. Have gotten two squash off of them. There are several on the vine, but they don’t get big.
The corn turned out to be a fiasco. A strong storm lay them on the ground. I tried to get them back up with some success (that was before I read that they would come back up by themselves).
A second storm did them in for good. Total corn harvested: 6.
A ton of radishes actually made, but were tough and hot.
Alas, the plants are also getting too cozy with each other. The tomato vines, pea stalks and okra are having a love fest.
The okra are coming into their own so maybe there is hope. I have harvested two bags so far.
Total costs: $20 hoe, $20 seed, and $120 canning equipment. Total yield: 6 corn, 5 pints pickles, two bags of black eyed peas, and two bags of okra.
A labor of love? Let’s call it exercise.
