A Small, Weed-Free Garden

This April, I ripped up a long strip of grass behind our house. The two-and-a-half feet wide area could have extended another foot in width, but with our clay soil, working up ground is difficult! Although we try to do things organically whenever possible, my hubby and I agreed to one round of weed-killer a full month before planting.

Three weeks later,  I spent hours breaking up the clods and clumps of grass before smoothing the surface with a rake. Then I mixed potting soil, organic fertilizer, and mulch together and worked it in with the existing dirt. We were ready to plant!

Over Memorial Day weekend, I planted zucchini's, cucumbers, green peppers, jalapeno peppers, basil, and tomatoes. A few marigolds help repel garden-eating bugs.

We weren't sure how the vegetables would respond to the soil and the location. So far, they're thriving. The garden took up little room, allowing me to mulch the entire thing. In one month I've picked three stalks of grass and one weed. Obviously the weed killer in early April made the biggest difference, but the mulch helps tremendously. Next year we'll skip the initial weed killer. I'm sure I'll be pulling more weeds.

Here are pictures from the day I planted them. (We also arranged potted flowers.)

Zucchini and cucumber plants in the corner of our garden.

Basil and pepper plants.

 

Here are pictures I took over the weekend (four weeks later).

Jalapenos will be ready soon!

 

The "little" zucchini plants in the corner grew quickly!

 



Love how full the potted arrangement became. :)

 

 

We've had a LOT of rain this summer. I saw these cute little mushrooms popping up and had to take  a picture. :)

 

 

Gardening can be a lot of work, but I've done very little out there in the last month. It's so fun watching all the plants and blossoms grow. We have three zucchinis almost ready to pick. The tomato plants are huge,  but it will be a while before we get any of those.

 

Do you garden? What are your secrets? If not, consider a small garden like ours--it's been fun and easy! 

 

Have a wonderful day!



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My Summer Reading Goals

Monday felt terribly Monday-ish, if you know what I mean. And I think you do. Chopping away at my to-do list, I was tired and cranky and just plain old weary, so I drove to the library. The New Release section had two books I wanted to read, so I grabbed both.



My steps grew peppier. Browsed the cookbook section and thumbed the new Elie Krieger. Tossed last month's InStyle magazine and Glamour magazine in my bag. Found a two-pack of Ryan Adams' cd's I'd never listened to. That's when I saw it--the table set up for the summer reading program.

Did you know some libraries offer a summer reading program for adults?

At our library, you just sign up, read a book, fill out an online entry form, and you're entered into a county-wide drawing for great gifts like an iPad mini and gift cards. Count me in!

It made me think about reading and goals. I've read twenty-nine books so far this year. I don't tally how many magazines I read because I'd have to go to some sort of magazine rehab facility, but I do track my books. Summer reading programs offer a great excuse to set reading goals, and I set mine last night.

My summer reading goals?

I'm reading whatever I want.
I'm trying new genres.
I'm NOT putting a number on that goal. If I read fifteen books, terrific! If I read one book, just as terrific.

Life gets really cut and dried sometimes. Reading is my favorite hobby, and it's a way to water my soul. I don't want to make it a chore or something to scratch off my to-do list. I want to anticipate opening a new novel. I want to get transported to another world. I want to lose myself in a story. That's my ultimate reading goal!

Do you read more books in the summer? Have you joined a summer reading program?

Have a wonderful day!

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