What's In Your Garden?

[livin]

I'm not a very good gardener, but I've planted herbs and a few vegetables before just to see them grow. I would like to eat from my garden this year (I don't care to spend much time in the kitchen).

What's is your garden? How do you use the herbs from your garden in your diet?

I have 2 garden beds that are approximately 1 to 11/2 feet wide. One is 8 ft long and the other is 12 ft long (along the edge of the patio). My yard is mostly sun, very little shade. So far, I've planted Lebanese Mint, Spearmint, Oregano, Lemon Thyme, 2 Roma Tomatoes, 4 Sweet 100 Tomatoes, Bell Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, 2 Romaine Lettuce, Green Onions. I also have a bay leaf tree and rosemary bush that have been growing for more than 5 years with no special attention. I may also like to plant foods that can be grown in my cottage flower bed.

[Revvell]

I just spent the last 3 days creating my garden ~ moving bricks, replacing with cinder blocks... adding soil and mulch. I'll put more in my blog (http://Revvellations.com/weekly) over the next few hours. It's 3:35 a.m. and I think I need some sleep.

So, I've got lobelia, chives, spinach, various lettuces, onions, garlic, tomatoes, two kinds of mint, basil, cilantro and probably more. We've got a small fig tree, blood orange and sweet lime... all small right now. Just purchased a blueberry bush and a raspberry vine/plant... whatever they're called.

I'll let you know when I write up my blog (http://Revvellations.com/weekly) and post pics. It was 3 days of toil but I'm VERY happy with it. Finished about half this past weekend; have another section to go plus some "earthbox" style planting. Thinking squash, cukes, maybe celery in those as they tend to use a lot of water.

Revvell (http://LetsTalkRaw.com)

[livin]

Revvell,
It sure sounds like you had a busy weekend!
Blueberry and raspberry plants sound good for simple eating!

I forgot to mention that I planted a small basil plant this weekend and a meyer lemon tree last week. I sure hope the basil lives, as I was told it is best when planted after all frost is gone. We're in for a few chilly nights here.

Other than making salads or eating tomatoes staight from the plant, I'm not sure how I'll use what I've planted & hope to plant in the next few weeks.

[bumbleberry]

There's not much in my garden yet other than what survived the winter: collards, some scruffy looking kale, parsley, and salad burnet (which I love...attractive dark green leaves that taste like cucumber, it grows like crazy, needs little care, and it's perennial!).

I have gardens in three areas. The one at the community garden I've just spent a few days of work on, changing the beds around and digging up bindweed (the weed that wants to take over the world!). Much more to do there. I'll be filling that garden with greens (mmm, smoothies, juice and salads!): kale, spinach, lettuce, chard, pursulane, amaranth. Also cilantro, red onion, and maybe a few blueberry bushes.

Livin, I'm also planning to plant some pretty edibles in my flower garden: Redbor kale with the pink fall anemones and ornamental grasses, plus scarlet runner beans and cukes growing up the fence, blueberries (have cute little white flowers in spring), and maybe chard (the rhubarb or bright lights variety). And strawberries!

The garden out back (4 feet x 10 feet) I'm going to fill with strawberry plants. Home-grown strawberries are better than any I've ever bought, I guess because the varieties available in stores are less squishable (but also less tasty). The variety I grow is Tristar...oh, yum!! They rarely make it to the kitchen. I eat them right there as I pick them.

I love how I feel after a day of hard work in the garden...so satisfying and nourishing, isn't it Revvell? And I've come to see plants in a whole different light...as living beings I can have a relationship with.

I've started learning about wild edibles. But, so far, the only one I know and like enough to eat regularly is dandelion leaves. I've been introduced to stinging nettle, but wouldn't recognize it right now if I saw it again. But THAT I won't plant in my garden, lol. Oh, and I also want to fill my freezer with wild blackberries this summer, for smoothies and desserts like cheesecake.

I'm not very good with using herbs. I need recipes. I have some sad, neglected herbs in pots (there's never enough time for gardening!). If I have one or two herbs I want to use, I do a search with them on recipe sites to get ideas about what other herbs I might want to use with them.

[livin]

Looks like I nearly killed my bell pepper plants before planting them and they finally died and I think I planted my sweet basil plant too early because it's struggling when it usually thrives in my garden. So I'm off to the farmer's market today to pick up some replacements!

[Bookish Lass]

Right now there's just snow in my garden!

[livin]

Right now there's just snow in my garden!

Oh Bookish Lass, I felt cold just reading that! :) I live where snow is rarely seen, but it does get cold enough here for me. I do hope beautiful spring weather comes to your garden soon. This is a good time to plan what you will be planting.