One month on the late side, oh well.

I spent a very gratifying day in my garden. I am dead tired but truly satisfied at all the work accomplished. Last year I did the same thing: I had grand plans of growing a little vegetable and herb garden but time and energy got away from me and I didn't plant the garden until one month after most people do. Oivey! Last year I was doing a lot of minsitry stuff with Dive and this year I had a baby. All very good excuses. I learned a few things from my garden last year.

#1 I learned what spots are the sunniest and more importantly which plants need more sun.
#2 I learned the hard way that you really do need those wire cages for the tomatoes.
#3 I learned that there are some very beautiful wild flowers that grow in my garden that I just left alone this year to incorporate them into the garden.
#4 I learned to utilize the space better, meaning more plants strategically placed in the same size plot.
#5 I learned from a very eccentric lady at one of the neighborhood teas that the soil in northern Illinois is very clay based and it is helpful to mix in sand and vermiculite to help aerate the soil.
#6 I found the most wonderful pair of gardening gloves that I will always wear. Love 'em! They fit very snug to my hand and on the palm is a latex/plastic coating that extends over the finger tips making it very easy to pull up those nasty little weeds.
#7 LoAnn gave me a mulch pile contraption that I am really looking forward to learning about. I placed that in one of the corners of my garden.
#8 My vision expanded for wonderful ways to accent my little vegetable garden. I want to plant sunflowers along the side of the shed. I want to grow more wild flowers so that when I look out my breakfast nook windows I see patches of color. I want to create a dining table area out there with old metal chairs. My sister gave me the idea to use old windows as ornamental decoration on the sides of fences and have vines grow up them. Lots of ideas. Each year I will get better and better at it.

And maybe one of these years I will get the vegetables in by Memorial Day weekend.

So, if you are the culinary type and would love fresh herbs and tomatoes, please let me know. I would be glad to give you some and share the wealth of the fantastic plants I put in the earth today.

Here is a list of what I planted:
3 different types of tomatoes (can't remember all their names...one looks like a Roma)
bell peppers
red onions
sweet Italian basil
Thai basil
spicey basil bush
parsley
cilantro
dill
sage
rosemary
oregano
thyme

There you have it. I will try to post a pic when the garden fills in and is more fruitful. Happy gardening to all you that have your hands in the dirt!