Developing green thumbs
I was a big city kid through and through. Give me streets, give me cars and crazy traffic, I was at home. We could find a play area in any nook or cranny and hidden parks, backyard stairs and after dark school grounds were our places.
Things have changed. The crazed city doesnt quite cut the mustard. The paved roads and manicured lawns leave me wanting for more. For something with substance and meaning.
The problem is that my green thumb is undeveloped. No one cared for it before, heck, no one knew it might be there. So the poor thing has hidden and wilted away, but I will revive it. I will CPR it. I will bring it back to life, shock it if I have to, cause I bloody need it. I bloody want to know why my bloody basil is not growing well.
Clear!
Peep…peep..BANG!
Yeah, the tomato is looking good, but those basils havent budged an inch in the last few weeks. They dont grow, dont die, dont change, just sit there, challenging my poor wilted thumb. So I dug out some plastic cups and made them little houses. It has been raining for awhile and I wondered if all that pounding and moisture might be making them unhappy.
But we dont despair. We forge forward. We cleared more land and I ordered some more organic seeds and we put the strawberry punnets to work – recycling you see.
Clear!
Peep…peep..BANG!
And then while I was digging, I found these bags that our king size sheets came in. They worked perfectly like a little hot house for the seeds to grow up in.
Now they better do that. Grow I mean. Cause if they dont, I will not be happy and Ms. Fab’s monitoring project will not work.
It is so satisfying. Even just watching them grow. Its best when I call to the girls to bring me some herbs when I am cooking and they run like mad to pick the greens. I get in a dreamlike bliss just thinking of the summer days when we can pick some green and purple tomatoes, yellow cucumber, chocolate brown capsicum, chill them in some ice water and make a fresh yummy salad to enjoy under the tree. Its so simple and yet so good for the soul.
So we are learning together. Getting dirty and messing about. Clearing weeds and mixing up smelly seaweed/fish fertilizers. Now lets see if the crop will respond.
Clear!
Peep…peep…BANG!
If not, we can always try again. Its way too fun not to.
.
Not sure on the basil…hopefully it works!
I just adore fresh picked tomatoes. yum
GOOD FOR YOU!!!! Dont water your tomatoes too much they do better with less water……. as for the basil they will go they are slower! LOTS OF SUN!!!!! And when they do go if they start budding pick off the buds they think they are going to seed! And if I was you I you I would pick off that tomatoe down to the 3rd set of leaves so it will be fuller and thick…trust me!
I LOVE you found Green Zebras they are gonna be a new fave!
HUG those girlies for me!
Thanks, Zizi! Do you mean prick it from the bottom up to the 3rd set of leaves?
And yes, I cant wait on the green zebras! Yum. Sick of store tomatoes.
Go down to the 3rd set of leaves and just pinch it off so just the 3rd set of leaves are sticking out of the ground…..this will help with a BIGGER bush and will end so much energy into those little flowers! You want it to focus on a BIGGER bush and stronger!
The girls will love this project….as my kids love going out to “harvest” we just had mashed pots from our garden and they were so sweet and delish!
Im just about ready to pull all of my tomatoes they are spent!
I am still not sure what you mean LOL
But I pinched something today, not sure what and why. Our seeds are sprouting though! Its so fun.
Cant wait for yummy tomatoes.
And isnt it so good to send the kids off to harvest something in the midst of cooking.
I am sure I will need more help in the next few months. Thanks!
ok in the PIX see where the flowers are and then the leaf set to the left and the leaf set to the right…….PINCH off the whole top under the leaf set to the right….so the whole top of the tomatoe is off now and all that is there now is the stalk and 3 little leaf sets?????
Here is a link:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/5579726/How-to-grow-tomatoes.html
Also a tidbit….see if you can buy some fishing worms to add to your lovely soil you have been amending….they will do wonders and worm poo is sooooooooo good for the soil!
ENJOY!!!! My little farmers now if I can get you to raise some hens! ;)
Here is a link:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/5579726/How-to-grow-tomatoes.html
And while you 3 are amending your soil add a few worms….worms are lovely for the soil!
Now my little farmers if I can talk you into some laying hens ;)