Tomatoes, Okra, Peppers & Squash!

Last year the kids talked Brian into starting a small vegetable/herb garden.  All went well, until we realized it was too close to the house and with every torrential rain, the garden was torn to shreds by our not having gutters in the back of the house.  Our little garden was short lived.

With the weather getting nicer, the kids had started talking about it again - what they want to plant, whether to buy seeds or plants, and where we should put it. With it already late March, I thought we'd better get a move on. 

For some reason this year, I have been very antsy to get outside and work in the yard.  Maybe I finally realize that Houston has a very short Spring and once it gets hot I'm not going to want to work out there?  So I'd better get it all done now?  Who knows.  But this year, I've already cut back all the dead stuff (lots and lots of that again this year), fertilized the yard (a first for me, usually Brian's job), planted bulbs, seeds and lots of replacement plants.  So much more to do but we're off to a great start.

Since Brian is really really busy at work right now and I'd never started a garden before, I asked my dad to come over and help us get it going.  Papa met the kids and I over at the plant store yesterday to pick up everything we would need.  I will admit I got a little crazy and agreed to let the kids buy a blueberry bush.  Birdie just goes nuts for blueberries and it is not a usual vegetable garden plant.  But did I mention that it gets to be 8 ft tall and 8 ft wide according to the label?  It should prove to be an interesting choice.

There was some debate over the size of the garden.  I wanted large, for plenty of growing room.  But since I wasn't the actual person digging up the grass, in the end it was a little smaller than planned. I was overridden by my dad and Brian (who got home in time to help get up the grass).  But it is still a really good size for all our plants.  

The kids had a great time using their wagon to relocate all the grass to spots in the yard that need a little St. Augustine help.  Wish I'd gotten a picture of that.  Or any pictures of us working out there.  For once, I was too busy to get out the camera.

After we finished with the garden and planting a few other new plants, Brian prepared a wonderful dinner of Shrimp & Grits for us and my parents.  None of us had ever tried that combination together (we've seen it on cooking shows), but we found it wonderfully complimentary and extremely tasty.  

Here are pictures of our new vegetable garden!

4 Rows of Vegetables & Herbs

Yellow Bell Pepper

Purple Bell Pepper

Small Vine Tomato

An Heirloom Tomato

Roma Tomato

Basil

Daniel's choice - Cucumber

Cilantro

Green Onion

Jalapeno Pepper

Squash

The garden is to the right of the pool in the back corner with full sun

Because tomatoes are one of Ashley's favorite foods (along with strawberries), we chose 3 different varieties to improve our odds of getting many tomatoes.  If all three plants go crazy, I might have to learn to like tomatoes or have Brian start making homemade marinara. Course, with the tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro and green onion we might be able to mix up a kickin salsa. The other veggies were mostly chosen for being good starter vegetables or herbs we use.  Daniel insisted on the cucumbers and Birdie chose the blueberry plant.  

We couldn't find any okra plants, so the last row contains okra seeds. We also bought a mint plant, but it is in a container so it doesn't take over the garden. I have some concerns about everything getting big and my yard guys chopping up the cucumber plant with the weed wacker as it spills over onto the grass, but I'll worry more about that when and if the plants really start to grow.  Right now I have concerns over them weed wacking my oleanders to death. (Make a note to call J.C. and discuss.)

You'll notice the blueberry plant is not in the garden.  We didn't think it would fit. Remember the 8' by 8'? It has been planted on the other side of the pool in a flower bed in the middle of that side of the yard where two palms stood.  Those poor palms finally succumbed to the second freezing winter we had and don't seem to be coming back.  I have several palms I'm waiting on to see if they come back for the second year in a row.  

Brian and I would really like to see this garden be successful for the kids.  They will love to watch everything grow and picking fresh vegetables to eat.    

Since this is my first vegetable garden since I was a kid (and didn't do any of it myself), I will accept any and all advice you experienced gardeners can offer. Help us make this garden a success for the kids.