Saturday, September 8, 2012

On a Rainy Day...

What do you do when your a gardener trapped inside on a rainy day?
Start to think about next years garden.

I am less than satisfied with the results from the potager this year.  True, it did not turn into the jungle it usually does.  I can actually walk through it this year.
The challenges this year were the weather and bugs.  From the hoards of of earwigs, to the ever present gnats, to the tomato pin worms it has been a tough year.

I don't know why, buy when I start to plan my gardens there is always a theme involved.  Right now I'm thinking of taking my mothers advice and going "back to my roots", no pun intended, and planting an Italian garden.

I'm already picturing the fence draped with Romano and annelino beans, cucuzzi and white cucumbers.  The beds would be filled with escarole, endive, dandelion chicory, arugula and lettuce.  Frying peppers in red, purple and gold, basil, flat leaf parsley, broccoli raab and long red onions would round it out.  There is also an area nearby with purple artichokes and cardoons.

Of course there would be flowers too.  Pastel zinnias for cutting, Dolcissimo petunias in mouthwatering shades and ruffled pansies as exotic as orchids would over flow the edges.

I can make this a reality if the weather would let me finish the expansion, the damned tree of my neighbors that shades the back portion would vanish and one of the local farmers would let me keep a cow or two in this area for the fall.

You may notice that tomatoes are absent from this vision.  The fusarium, wilt and hoards of tomato pin worms are to blame.  I'm going to keep them out of this area for a year or two.

 I won't mention another vision where the area is filled with baby vegetables...

6 comments:

  1. When you said back to your roots, I imagined carrots, onions, and beets. I just couldn't help myself.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It sounds pretty, and I'm sure it will be. Everything you plan turns out pretty. If I planted the things we love the most and used the most, I'd have a garden filled with raspberries, onions, potatoes, butternut squash and carrots. Maybe a few green beans for me. I get sick of tomatoes real early, although I do like to have them on hand to can. Actually, I'm rather tired of the entire garden right now :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm a bit tired of mine too. I think that's what has inspired the planning for next year. This year I didn't do much good planning and the only thing I'm happy with is the new pool bed.

      That's the great thing about gardening, there is always next year!

      Delete
  3. Isn't it funny how September is here and we are already imagining next year's garden? Me too! And I'm glad to hear you beat the jungle-ing of your garden this year. Gives me hope that some day I too will have a garden that's not a jungle.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad to see that I'm not alone! Next year I plan on being able to reach everything as well as walk through the garden. Good luck!

      Delete