Our Spring Garden 2012

Sunflowers make me so happy.  Our garden this year is full of them.  I planted one packet of red ones but all the other ones were volunteers from my compost.  Not only are they great for pollination but also the stems are used for medicinal uses to ward of colds and fight a cough when steeped in a tea.  I have also found that they ward off pest.  I don't use any pesticides and these work great!  Thank you my lovely Sunflowers! : )

I am soooooooooo thrilled to have so much garden space!  I went crazy with my planting.  Mostly experimenting.  I planted about 6 different lettuces.  My favorite is Butter crunch.  Garlic, Onion, Basil, Thyme, Radish, 4 kinds of Greens, Celery, Parsley, Watermelon, Carrots, Yellow Squash, Sweet Peppers, Seminole Squash, Tomatoes and Cucumbers.  I don't know much about gardening but I have had good luck when I enrich my soil with my own compost, mushroom compost, dried manure and make manure tea (I know- sounds yucky but it works- just put a dried cow patty in water and let the sun heat it up, then poor over the plants.  The leaves of the plants love the nutrients too.)

We have had so much fun taking baskets of goodies to all our wonderful neighbors.

This is our Strawberry Patch.  It is so much fun to see Arabella discover the new Strawberries that are ripe every day.  She can get from 8-10 a day. : )

This is our Corn, Tomatoes and Okra.  Can't wait for some fried okra!

Of course we need a good bath after all that gardening. : )

Happy Gardening!

-Tara