A Time to Plant…

I planted seeds yesterday. Lots and lots of seeds.

468 to be exact.

(My mathematical son counted them.)

I may have gone overboard just a little bit. If everything germinates we may need to triple the size of the garden. 🙂

I’m like a kid in a candy store when I stand in the seed aisle at Menard’s: honey dew melon, 3 kinds of watermelons, 3 kinds of muskmelons, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, summer squash, butternut squash, pumpkin, the list goes on and on…

Then there was my Baker Creek Heirloom Seed order for the most wonderful jalapeno peppers ever (Tam Jalapeno) and three different kinds of tomatoes ( Sioux, Amish Paste, and Rutgers).

That’s what a long winter does to a gardener – they snap in the seed aisle come spring.

Although – I’m not sure I should actually call myself a gardener.

My Amish neighbors would just roll their eyes in disbelief if they saw our operation. They actually know the date of the last expected frost and carefully time their plantings to line up with it.

But not me.

Oh no – I planted everything at once. Everything. Tomatoes, peppers, watermelon, and squash. The whole kit-and-caboodle went into pots yesterday.

I think I’m about 2 weeks late with the peppers and tomatoes and at least 2 weeks early with the melons.

Please don’t tell.

I’m sure there’s no garden police to fine me for such haphazard practices – but one cannot be too sure!

And while I’m confessing – can I add that most of these plants will get set out at the same time as well. (Oh dear – I think I heard some of you gasp in shock!)

Now you know the reason why my garden is behind the house and can’t be seen from the road! 🙂

I wouldn’t want a passing Amish buggy to gawk at my gardening attempts or look in horror as I get my broccoli in the ground just about the time they are harvesting.

I’m sure there’s a science to planting a garden – but then – I never was any good at science.  Then there’s the math involved in figuring plants per rows and frost dates – and you all know I hate to borrow and carry.

No – I like words.  I may not have the most perfect garden in our neighborhood – but I can tell you how I feel about it.

I love the smell and feel of warm dirt in my hands.

I love the sun on the back of my neck and the breeze blowing through the hair.

I love the taste of a fresh ear of corn, the juice of that first ripe tomato, the satisfaction of serving the produce we grew ourselves to my family.

I love the sound of the canning jar as it “pings” its seal before I line them on the shelves ready for the winter.

I love seeing my kids learn the value of hard labor – that it feels really good to sweat.

And that my friend, works just fine for me!

I’ve linked this post up with the Tuesday Garden Party at An Oregon Cottage.