5.10.2008

Ferns, take cover!

Yesterday I bought seeds and a couple of mature tomato and pepper plants to try to start a container garden for fresh veggies. Sometime today I'll get dirt underneath my nails and have my hands elbow-deep in potting soil in an effort to try to coax the little seeds into lettuce, spinach, green onions and a couple of varieties of peppers. I'm giddy at the thought of the awesome salads that could emerge from my garden.
That is if I don't kill everything.
While my gardening skills are nothing compared to some, I try. And try. And try again. Much to the detriment of these poor plants. What can I say? I love plants. I want my house dripping in greenery (think indoor rain forest) and my backyard rich with Mother Nature's promises. Each time I see lush ferns I want to buy them and adorn my front porch with these plants that have been around since "the early-Carboniferous period". And each time I mention that my husband reminds me that I'll kill them. It's really hard for me to accept the fact that he's right about this one. So I'll go fern-less yet another year.
Hey, where did my seeds go?

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

see u next year in your garden..full of plants an vegetation!!! ok?! ;))) have good saturday!


www.moonstage.spaces.live.com

Mrs. F said...

Meh. I, too, am a fern killer. Apparently the ferns like teh shade...not the blazing hot 102 degree Sacramento sun. Who knew???

Anonymous said...

I have always enjoyed growing fruits and veggies for many years and then my knees started to complain so my husband built our first container type garden some years back and we have been hooked ever since. This year we're in a new home and he has been building a garden deck to hold the many containers we use and add some new ones every year. You're going to do just fine, just remember to water and feed a bit more then you would the in the ground garden. It may be a bit more work but when you bite into that first tomatoe you'll see how much it's worth it. Wish you well. -JD

Anonymous said...

I can't keep ferns alive to save my life... my cats like to repot all my plants and sadly - they don't know what their doing.

I'm working on finding them a new hobbie.... Any suggestions?

KC

Katy said...

I've killed my fair share of houseplants. My vegetable garden is doing so/so. The things I planted from seeds didn't do so hot, but the little plants I bought are doing pretty well. I'm encourages, though, so I'll just keep trying.

Anonymous said...

Up to until I was 11, I used to think eggs were harvested from our back garden & not from chickens, that's when I had an inkling that gardening was just perhaps not quite my forte.

So, about that salad, I'll have a bowl please. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

I love gardening!!

White Hot Magik said...

Thanks for the mention, you obviously haven't seen my *desert* ahem yard. I also have some seeds to plant today and have contemplated asking for my birthday dough early so I can go buy some tomato and chile plants. I have never tried to grow real ferns outside of a greenhouse, apparently they like humidity. May I suggest Asparagus fern, it looks like a fern but even does well here in the desert outside.

Anonymous said...

Happy mother's day Elizabeth!

KC

Unknown said...

There is this family of kamakaze rabbits living around here, somewhere. They will eat anything and everything that even THINKS of blooming. It's enough to make you want to buy a gun.

Anonymous said...

I used to have plants all over until I married Suzy. Then we had cats and the either eat or knock over everything you have in the way of live plants. So now we have fake greenery all over the house.

BTW, they still knock them over, even if they are fake.

Anonymous said...

The seeds are running in the ground now, lol. I would like to see some picture of themselves step by step. Have a good week Elizabeth!! xx

Anonymous said...

By the way, hope it is not too late to say "Happy Mother's Day". What did your daughters do yesterday for you? I just wondered, lol.

Malathionman said...

I'd kick Nora's butt in the garden! :) She's right about the Asparagus fern, but if it gets established and you don't like it it is tough to get rid of.

Anonymous said...

Good for you on the container garden, Elizabeth! Hope it does well. As has already been mentioned, they need regular watering and a monthy feeding. "Miracle Grow" products work especially well.

If the girls helped you, and were excited about it, you WILL be reminded daily about the watering...lol.