Gardening Lessons

I spent a few hours in my garden yesterday and learned a few lessons that I thought I would post in my blog in hopes that I will reread this and remember not to repeat the same things in the future. This is a picture of an Ice Cream variety Penstemon. I grew 3 different ones and they are all still blooming. I think this is Blueberry Ripple...now for the 'Do Not' list...

#1 - Do not plant mint even if you cut the bottom off a plastic pot and don't bury it too deep. It will still find a way to travel through the whole garden and you will be removing it for years.

#2 - Do not plant limelight artemesia. It is suckering and popping up in a wide area! It was a pretty plant when it was contained, but now it is a weed.

#3 - Do not plant annual morning glories to help hold your tomatoes up. It seemed like a great idea at the time and it even looked nice through the summer, but after a few months my tomatoes had a strange flavor (I blame on the company they kept) and now months after they have been removed I have their little seedlings trying desperately to make a come back.

I seem to have a nack for growing plants that get too tall and like to spread. I guess that is a good sign...my garden soil is wonderful and the location of my plot has just the right amount of light. I try to keep everything I put in it organic and the insects are happily finding the right balance of beneficial insects to invasive insects. I don't mind a few holes in my leaves and a few aphids to feed the lady bug population. My garden produces plenty of vegetables, herbs and flowers to make me happy and some to share with friends.

Yesterday was a real work out for me so I would have to say that my garden also provides me with some healthy exercise along with the other goodies! I removed some basil that was going to be freezing soon. I'd rather pull it now than when it gets black and slimey.

I also cut back my asparagus. The picture to the left is the corner where the asparagus is growing before I cut it back...to the right is the corner after I finished the clean-up. This is the first time I have grown asparagus successfully and am still not sure that I'm doing it right, but it sure is looking like it is spreading so I'll see how it does in the spring. I now have a clump of green asparagus and a new clump of purple started. I hope I don't have to add 'Do Not grow asparagus' to my list.

I guess I should be making a list of what my garden does for me here too...

#1 - Provides food and flowers.
#2 - Provides exercise
#3 - Provides mental therapy!
#4 - Provides more gardening education
#5 - Provides a chance to get outside and close to nature.
#6 - Provides a place to recycle the little fish we catch and don't want to eat...they make great fertilizer.
# 7 - Makes my heart sing!

This picture is of a Peacock Broccoli. It is a cross between a kale and broccoli and you can eat all parts of the plant. I was snacking on it yesterday while I was gardening. Can't wait to cook it.

Cherry Menlove has a new post in her forum about "things that make your heart sing" and this is one of the many things that make my heart sing...growing things...ta da!