My Vegetable Garden

My grandfather was a farmer, and grew alfalfa.  My dad tended a garden while my brother and I grew up.  We would pick peas and pop them from their crisp pods, straight into our mouths.  We would pick fresh raspberries and lettuce, carrots and tomatoes.  I remember warms summer afternoons playing outside, listening to my dad’s staticky, portable radio drone as he dug and planted, weeded and watered that garden as it produced good food for us in return.

I love growing and tending plants.  I can keep house plants alive for decades.  Now that we have a son, I long to have a garden of my own and tend to it, while it grows us healthy and free food.  Even though living in apartments limits my ability to have the garden of my dreams, I have found a way to work around it.

While making Finley’s food, we buy squashes and other veggies at a higher rate.  Before sliding my freshly slices gourds into the oven, I remove the seeds and soak them all in a mug of water for about a week.  During this time, they wake up.  They get plump and pregnant, ready to turn into green leafy plants, spilling out of the ground.

 My acorn squash.  It made such a delicious dinner for my tiny guy, but I hope it will be even more.  I soaked the seeds for a few days, then dug a line in the dirt by our door, and poured the seeds and water straight in to my mini trough.  I watered lightly every other day or so, no exact science, but plants do need water.

After just a few days, our plants were sprouting.  A few days after that, they were thriving!

After I would give The Tiny a bath, I would carry the water down to my plants, and gently soak the soil with all of the left over water, instantly perking up the leaves after a hot day in the sun.

I also planted some wild flowers.  Finley loves to stick out his hand as we walk by so that I will swoop down and run his hand through the tall stalks.

We are soaking and adding more.  Cantaloupe, spaghetti squash, bell pepper.  Some we plant in the ground, some we start on our balcony in small pots before they are transplanted.

This was a big pile of soaked acorn squash seeds that I added to this pot.  The shade makes their stems grow long, reaching for the sun.

I love my pretend garden.  Finding little dirt homes for my food turned to seeds, hopefully turned to food once again.

I encourage you to try it!  If you have water, you can have a garden too!