I went to the grocery store Saturday. A friend and her husband were going to town, and offered a ride to town. I, as usual was out of dog food so I jumped at the chance. Is there such a thing as "sticker shock" in the produce aisle? Well there should be! Are those tomatoes gold plated? Are the potatoes worth their weight in silver? I know, I'm being dramatic here, but you get the idea. How can those prices go up so far, so fast? So I keep telling myself I'm going to grow some vegetables, and now seems like the perfect time to take a stab at it. I have my shoe box full of seeds for just such an occasion as this. I already have my pots full of soil, patiently waiting for the gardening fire to be lit. If the prices I paid for produce don't light my fire, then nothing will. So all I have to do is join soil with seed, and there you go . Did I mention I am a lazy person? It's hard to get going sometimes. I think I will just go and read about gardens for today.
Well here it is another day. I am ready with my seeds . As I live in Arizona, I can plant certain things all year. Turnips! Thats what I want to eat, so thats what I will plant! So then a pot of Chard. I'm looking for plants that like cool conditions. Peas! I planted a pot of peas. Mmm, I can just picture a seven layer salad with my fresh peas as the star veggie. My neighbor has gotten the garden fever too. I shared some seeds with her. She asked me if I had a pack of seeds for potatoes! A novice gardener for sure. When I stopped laughing, I explained how one cuts up a potato, with eyes, and those are the "seeds". She offered a few of the" new potatoes" she bought . Lets just use up these old potatoes I have, I suggested . Then she insisted that we plant Tomatoes. No, tomatoes are a warm weather crop. The seeds won't even grow now, It's too cool. I'm sure she thinks I just don't want her to have any tomatoes. Carrots then she said. Onions too. I really wish I'd never shared my idea with her . She comes over every day to compare my garden to hers. I have to endure hearing how her carrots are bigger, and she tries to dazzle me with the epic tale of how her husband waters the garden faithfully every day.
Oh! What a happy day! I thinned the turnips and had enough for a nice little pot of turnip greens. Of course I had to invite my friend over for some. We ate happily. They were delicious, and virtually free. I also had some pea pods that I used in stir fry. Say, this gardening thing is ok. Not too much work, and nice little rewards. Yesterday my friend came over for a visit. She brought me a few tomatoes she had grown in her kitchen window. She had to hand pollinate them she said, but there were quite a few tomatoes on those three plants. Hand pollinate? She has come a long way. So this is where we are today. Nice green onions for my salad today, maybe baby carrots for my stir fry tomorrow. It is so much fun, and so worth it. O. K. I still have to buy some produce, but not as much. And what we grow tastes so good. Also it's a very rewarding thing to do . I encourage you to try it too. Even if you don't have seeds, take a dry onion and plant it. It will make green onions for you. A great project for the kids too. have fun, and good luck.
