Absolutely Green

Towards the end of what always seems like a long bleak winter, I get so down on life that I just need to see something green and growing. I got it into my head that I would get my garden started early this year, even though our yard didn't have a predesignated garden plot at the time. I had day dreamed about where it could be and Ben had drawn out plans as to what it could look like. I didn't know when it would all come together, but I didn't want to miss the prime growing season. So I ordered my tomato plants in advance and went to work sowing squash and what have you, inside.

Instead of little clods of dirt sitting about, I wanted something that would double as decoration. Jennifer and Chase, who were living with us, eat a lot of eggs. I put in a request for them to save their shells - which are a great source of calcium to add to your garden soil. Once I had enough eggshell pots I went to work dyeing them and my kitchen counter in the process - no worries it cleaned up nicely with a little soft scrub.

After several failed attempts I came to the conclusion that starting indoors is a lot harder than all those seed packets would have you believe. Nevertheless, come Easter (April 24) I had managed to get enough started to give some away as presents, even if they weren't that pretty. With the warmer days, I could leave the plants outside in the more shady parts of the yard. By the first of May they were weathered enough to stay outside all night, however, like little hermit crabs they were quickly outgrowing their shells. I found some old pots left behind from the previous owners and on mother's day weekend I arranged them: three or four squash plants per pot, artichoke starts centered in two of the planters and the few peppers that made it in the other.

A week and a half later the garden boxes were ready to be planted. Thank you Ben for all your hard work!

Two weeks later I was taking a morning stroll and was surprised to find bright yellow-orange blossoms on my squash babies, just about as big as the plants themselves.

Exactly a month later I picked my first zucchini and have harvested a couple dozen since then. Now if only my tomato plants would get on board.