I have written about gardening a lot these past few months. Gardening was something I grew up around. My mother always planted herbs and vegetables in the summer. I used to view it as something she simply liked to do; never something that a family could enjoy together and truly benefit from. To me, it was just my mother’s hobby. Then I met my husband who came from generations of gardeners. I have spoken about his grandfather’s garden in the past. The man knew how to grow a mean Jersey tomato and zucchini! From his grandfather to his own father, my husband learned how to nourish the soil and tend to a garden with the utmost care. I always thought you dug up the dirt a little bit, threw in the seeds and hoped for the best! I never was a girl who liked to get dirt underneath her fingernails (who knew they made gloves for that)! But my husband got me involved in gardening and–surprise–I really learned to enjoy it.
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| Peppers and tomatoes |
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| Kale |
As I’ve mentioned before, in previous years we gardened out of containers. This year, my husband dug a raised garden in our backyard. I can’t even believe how successful it’s been! I was told by my handsome gardener that the key is to fertilize, but I have my suspicions that the rain we’ve had may be giving our veggies a boost, too. Our tomatoes are growing in abundance and are on the verge of turning red. We have scallions and fully grown onions out the wazoo. My kale has grown so much that we needed to create a bigger barrier for it (our friendly backyard bunnies love kale). We’ve been enjoying our hot banana peppers with nearly every meal and my bell peppers are just about there. And let’s not forget our berry plants! I’m in love with our raspberries (hubby’s about given up on trying to get to them before I do). Our blueberries are doing really well and our blackberries are just starting to turn. Last week, I enjoyed a berry mix with some of our fresh mint and a dollop or two of whipped cream. So good!
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| Blackberries |
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| Blueberries |
Who knew our little backyard could provide us with so many fruits and vegetables! Now I get what gardening is all about. It’s not just a relaxing little hobby, but you get to enjoy so much of it with family and friends during the season. I’m already planning a cold weather garden!
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