Monday, May 4, 2009

Trying to Garden

Our house is in an older neighborhood and so we have a lot of trees. So many trees that our house is perpetually in the dark. Since we've moved in I wanted to grow a little garden but since we barely get any sun I've had to settle for smaller flower beds.

This year I decided to try something different. Our front porch gets plenty of sun but brick is not an easy agent to grow seeds. But flower pots! They can contain dirt and seeds and produce flowers, herbs, and veggies!

We decided on tomatoes, carrots, marigolds (they grow fast for impatient children), morning glorys, and oregano.

Jamison helped with two pots and then he was done. I thought he'd love the dirt -and he did- but he lost interest when I wouldn't allow him to throw it and smoosh his face in it.


Apparently he was ready for a bike ride.


But I convinced him it was more fun to play in the car. He's contained in there, at least.
BY THE WAY, this is off topic but does anyone have any suggestions for how to neatly keep grocery bags? If you look at the floor of the passenger side, that's where I keep my bags. It's messy, but I need them there in order to remember them when I go into the store. Our store is helpful in that they have a huge sign on their door reminding all of us to bring our bags in but I don't really like dragging the kids into the supermarket only to realize I have to go back out to the car to get my bags. Can anyone help me?


And while Lily and I were still gently planting seeds and talking about how God plants seeds in us too, etc...Jamie was digging for bugs in my flower bed. A few days ago I had found a caterpillar in that spot and he kept returning to it hoping to see it again.


In the end, they seeds were planted and they are getting plenty of sun and water. We already see tiny green leaves for the carrots, marigolds, and morning glorys. I thought this would be a fun little activity but the kids are so excited to look at the growing progress every morning before school. It's given me opportunities to talk to them about God and science. And hopefully, the kids will eat the carrots and tomatoes.

3 comments:

ABC said...

Nice garden Katie!
I don't know if you've ever planted oregano before, but I hadn't before this year, and let me tell you... it is one slow plant! I planted mine many weeks ago (indoors) and all I have is about a 2-inch tall little mess of tiny, tiny leaves. At this rate I may get 3 tablespoons of oregano sometime in July. Very non-kid friendly in the patience department.

If you're looking for a fairly fast-growing, usable herb, I'd suggest basil (sweet basil is the most common kind, like the hydroponic plants you get at the grocery store). It starts to grow after about a week, smells great and the leaves grow back quickly so you can actually use the basil to cook with or for salads.

-Lisi.

Rachel said...

Hey! I'm back!! I am so proud of you! We haven't planted our garden yet. With all the rain in the last few weeks it has been hard trying to find time to till up the area again and plant. Our plan is tonight or tomorrow. We will see...

I know Lily and Jamison will love watching those things grow! Can't wait to see pictures of your first picks!

Unknown said...

Apparently Lily very much enjoyed your planting activity b/c when I asked the kids on Wednesday night if they'd done anything fun or interesting this week, Lily talked about planting marigolds very enthusiastically. She thinks they are yellow and orange but isn't sure since she can't see them yet. I guess the vegetables and herbs didn't have quite the same excitement factor (no mention of tomatoes or oregano), but I would not be surprised to see her show up to class in a few weeks with marigolds in her hair.
-Heidi