Harvest

Despite the rain, clouds, root rot, tomato blight and slug herds that descended upon the garden this year, we've managed to get a bit to eat.

(Clockwise from upper left: beets, parsley, cherry tomatoes, red & yellow tomatoes, edamame beans, spaghetti squash, chinese eggplant, italian broad & yellow wax beans, cucumbers, butternut squash. Not shown: cubanelle peppers, basil, brussel sprouts, garlic. Earlier this season: sugar snap peas, radishes, kohlrabi. Disasters: broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, watermelon, muskmelon and zucchini-- amazingly enough-- since it's usually a no-brainer. Also not shown: weeds like you can't believe.)

Monday Map: Big Garden Plans

This was a piece for Woman's Day Gardening & Deck Design. I always pick up good ideas for my own garden while doing these.

This year we're ditching the containers and putting in a real vegetable garden. The hubby has cleared out a swath of land, and let's just say he's quite ambitious: it's a 30 x 40' plot. My back hurts already. (I wish I was kidding...) Who knows if we'll get the entire area planted the first season. Our soil is heavy clay and full of rocks and will need a lot of amending. Not to mention a deer fence. We've been argu... discussing how tall the fence should be. Hubby says 6 feet. No way, says I. At least 8-12. He forgets we have Deer-On-Steroids around here.

Next we have to decide whether to call it our Victory Garden, or our Michelle Garden. (If I can look that stylish while digging, Michelle's got my vote.)