A Garden Tale

Once upon a Mid May Mr. BB30 and I took over the plot in our building's backyard. Mr. BB30 cleared out the weeds and left some perennial flowers (the ones with purple flowers on the right are actually chives).

Mr.BB30 is rockin' some seriously awesome sideburns for his current role. I LOVE THEM.

Earlier that day we went to Home Depot and picked up some tomatoes, squash, zuchinni, basil, and sage which we planted and fed some healthy mushroom compost.

Some people have a garden gnome. We have a garden ninja.

Last week we had out first "harvest" (aka our first tomato with color fell off the vine, and I saved it before the bunny family that lives under a nearby bush stole it!)

This guy was small, but quite delicious. I can't wait for more, and thanks to lots of nourishing rain in June and warm humid weather this month, there are many on their way! (I think we've counted over twenty!)

Aw.....a tomato family.

The squash and zucchini are growing so tall and blossoming away, but no veggies yet. The biggest issue has been the lack of bees to pollinate the flowers. So, in the mornings when the blossoms are open I rub my finger in all of their bellies and do a little pollination. Sounds a little weird, but I have to help them along until they get a little insect action. I am very impatient, because I hear that when squash and zucchini hit, they hit big. Bring on our veggie goodness!!! Now! Now! Now!

Holy Squashola!

C'mon little buds, make me some dinner!!

The basil is flourishing, and Mr. BB30 and I have been enjoying fresh basil in our dinners for a couple of weeks now. Ain't nothin' like fresh herbs to liven up stir fries, sautees, and pastas! I pick it all the time, take it upstairs, give it a rinse, a chiffonade, and into the pot it goes!

Woah! Basil Jungle!

Speaking of fresh herbs, our sage has also been growing well along with its neighbor-mint. Fresh sage has brought my tempeh to new levels and the mint is such a delight with peas and limey cocktails!

Herbtastic!

A couple of weeks after out initial plant, Mr. BB30 went and bought us a bell pepper plant. It's doing its best to catch up!

The little plant that could.

(Behind it is a nasturtium, an edible flower. We got the seeds for free at Chicago's Bitannical Gardens. It's working hard to grow too!)

I've really enjoyed caring for this garden, finding new little buds daily, and watching everything go from bare to WOW!

That's my little doggie's hiney on the far right. Tee hee!

Have you had a summer harvest yet?