Day 13 - Step Into My Garden

It might seem like growing your own vegetables takes a lot of time, and that may be true in the beginning when you are setting up your garden.  But, once you do that and have the basic tools you need, it will get easier and easier.

My garden is not even in my backyard.  I live in a town home complex with a small deck.   To grow vegetables, I need a small plot of land with plenty of sun.   Luckily, my city has a community garden and I can garden there.  It is convenient for me because I have to drive that way a few times a week anyway. 

I don't have the prettiest garden there.  Far from it.  In fact, I may only spend 15 minutes there at a time.  Just enough time to water, harvest and pull a weed or two.  There's plenty of work if I wanted to put the time into it and the time would be pure pleasure.  But I don't have the time for that right now.

So, although I have a request to see more photos of the garden, I hesitate to show my semi-neglected plot.  Even so, it provides more than enough vegetables for me and my husband.

the main gate

central walkway

There are about 125 plots in this community garden which sits in a small public park.  Walk through the main gate and down a wide and clean central walkway.  There are 2 rows of plots on either side of the walkway.

This is my plot, #33.  It is 20 x 20 feet.  My husband built the wind break in the front and the wooden planter boxes to my specifications.  In the corner near the plot number are water spigots and my storage box.  I also have a shade umbrella to rest under on super hot days.

I only have two zucchini plants, but they produce more than I can eat.

I have a tiered planter box for my strawberries which used to fill up these boxes.  Now I just have a few surviving plants that produce enough to top my oatmeal. 

And I have a few broccoli plants that will produce side shoots like these for a few more months.

There's also green beans, daikon, New Zealand spinach, and in a month or so, cucumbers, Japanese eggplant, honeydew melons and corn.

If you live in an apartment and want to grow your own vegetables, look to see where you might find your little plot.  It can be in a community garden, or a relative or friend's back yard.  Work a barter system where you grow the vegetables and pay the land owner with fresh organic vegetables right outside their door. 

Day 13

Breakfast:

Miltons' Squaw Bread and Peanut Butter

Tennis:

Orange Juice

Lunch:

Fried Brown Rice with Egg and Zucchini

Loquats

2 Chocolate Peanut Bars

Dinner:

Chicken Red Bean Soup

Orange

Calories: 1453

Cost: 97 cents

Weight:  XXX - 3.5 pounds