Gardening on My Mind

Me in My Mom’s Garden

With the weather warming up a bit, well expect for last weekend snow storm, I have gardening on my mind.  I want to get an early start on planting my garden this year, I got a late start last year.  I have tried various spots in the yard over the years to place my garden.  I think it currently resides in location number four in eleven years.  Our yard is a typical city lot, so not huge by any stretch of the imagination, any space I can dedicate helps.  in addition to the dedicated location for the garden itself, I think I am going to plant in a few additional places in the yard this year.  Without the dog around this summer there will be no fear of her digging it up for a nice cool place to sleep.  My daughter loves to help with so it will be easier to manage.  I am envious of the garden space my mom had at the house I grew up in.  It was huge, I don’t know how she kept up with it.

Typically the majority of my tiny garden space is dedicate to tomatoes.  Without fail I plant too many every year.  There is nothing better than eating a tomato fresh from the garden.  I also tend to plant a combo of items that are overpriced in the grocery store, not provided by our CSA, and what we eat in large quantities.  Most years the garden includes, cilantro (our store is always out), basil (overpriced), hot peppers (use in abundance), herbs (love walking out the back door and clipping fresh herbs for dinner).  Each year I also try to plant something new, last year I went with greens beans and red cabbage.  My husband and daughter LOVE green beans.  They were both a huge success and super easy to grow.

A few new things I plan to try in this summers garden, beets, garlic, and edible flowers.  But again I will dedicate most of the space to tomatoes, especially heirloom ones.  Sure they look pretty in an ugly kinda way, but it is the low acidity that wins me over.

Tomatoes fresh from the garden are a favorite flavor from childhood.  Two awesome recipes my mom passed along to me, perfect for when you have fresh tomatoes available…

Well, I guess this more sophisticated version of the tomato sandwich runs a close second…