I Heart (Veggie) Gardening

Imagine a hot summer day... you think about what to make for lunch. Hey, why not a cool, crisp salad, with fresh vegetables from your backyard? You pick a ripe, red tomato from your garden, slice up a cucumber, toss with fresh lettuce. This is MY dream.

I love the idea of growing my own food. Growing up, I wasn't really into gardening (or being outdoors for that matter... Hiking? Out of the question!). But my dad is a farmer. And I guess I have his genes! There are so many pros to gardening... cost-effective (do you know how much tomatoes cost in the store these days?!), peaceful, lowers blood pressure, helps you reach your daily doses of Vitamin D.

On Saturday, Patty and I went to Seattle Tilth's Edible Plant Sale, and it was SO MUCH FUN! If you were not into gardening beforehand, you will be afterwards! There were tons of plants for you to pick and choose what to grow. Also, there were information talks given by volunteers, such as Gardening 101 for Beginners. Plus, a tip: if you go close to when the sale ends, all the plants are marked down 50%. Patty and I were very lucky, and grateful, to be there as they were wrapping things up, and scored some major deals!

What we walked out with: 2 alpine strawberry plants, 1 spicy salad starter, 1 arugula plant, 1 romaine lettuce, 1 bok choy plant, 2 broccoli plants (one for my parents), and 1 dwarf snap pea. Plus, Seattle Tilth's informational book full of helpful hints, info on when to grow specific types of plants, what to do each month to prepare for gardening.

I have to admit, I really am a complete newb at gardening. I have never prepped, planted, and maintained my own garden before. My only recollections of gardening is helping my dad with some weeding, occasionally watering plants, and having a flower garden waaaay long ago back in Corvallis.

The story behind the flower garden: I was probably 8 or 9, and I got to pick out seeds for my plot of land that Dad prepared for me. I picked out a bunch of random flowers: sunflowers, daisies, probably some pansies, daffodils. Planting was equal to me scattering seeds here and there, in no particular organized manner. Well, a few weeks later... it was BEAUTIFUL. Tons of flowers, everywhere, literally!

As much as I've been reading up on gardening, and planning, it's a totaaaally different ball game than actually feeling the dirt, working the soil, planting and watering. I guess it's time to find out if I have a green thumb... or not!