Watching my Garden Grow

Week Two

Last week, I started a small container garden. These are the first vegetables I've tried to grow in ten years. Back while I was still living in my mother's home, I tried to do a huge garden one summer, all from seed. I didn't really get a lot out of that garden; some lettuce, some carrots, and a lot more respect for people who have manage to grow their food.

That was the last summer that I had a yard. I've been moving around the country and living in apartments ever since. However, I just keep coming back to this desire to grow things. I tried to grow basil, one summer when I was home from college. But between my lack of regular watering and the lack of sunlight on my mother’s completely shaded back porch, I didn't get enough to make a batch of pesto.

The summer before last, my developing culinary skills drove me to try again. This time I did basil and cilantro. The basil was wonderful. The cilantro never really took off, but that was another lesson learned. Last summer we relocated again, so no garden.

This summer it was an urge for tomatoes, fresh, ripe tomatoes, that set me off. Eventually, I made it up to Whole Foods and got one of their last tomato plants. When I went to Lowe’s to get a larger pot, soil, and a basil plant, I returned home with those, plus a cucumber plant, a yellow pepper plant and a dill plant. I also bought a book about gardening. I know it’s small and that it seems silly to get so excited about it, but this is at a level that's realistic for my current knowledge base and living situation. I find the whole process to be fascinating. I’m also really looking forward to being able to make a salad using vegetable I’ve grow myself.