My favorite season has arrived in Austin and the birds, the buds and and the bees are in full swing, and I LOVE it. I haven’t been in the kitchen for over two weeks – well that’s an exaggeration. I have been in the kitchen, just not cooking. With a recent lifestyle change I’m readjusting daily rituals, but things are starting to find their place so I hope to be back to cooking and back to the blog with more regularity.
Patrick and I bought our home in March of 2007, and from the first time I saw the front yard – in all its southernly sunshine glory – I began dreaming of putting in an organic vegetable garden. Of course that meant we had to rip up the Asiatic Jasmine in the front of the yard. The Jasmine is like a 10″ shag carpet, and well that’s what has put us off this job for 4 years. Until now! With the temperatures this week dipping back into the 70s (it’s been in the low 90s already) the iron is hot for striking.
Today we started by pulling up about a 3 foot swath of the menacing ground cover, but you can see how far we have to go. If we can just make it to this side of the Crape Myrtle I would be more than thrilled. Once we pull up the mat of Jasmine, then we’ll till the soil to loosen the remaining vines and their roots. But I’m getting ahead of myself, and this process will be documented on the blog so you can follow along with us. Feel free to send me tips, or the names of your favorite seeds as I look forward to sharing this experience with you. And the most important thing about this garden is that is will supply Patrick and I with luscious organic food to transform into recipes to share with you. So in the end the garden is a benefit for you!
I put in my first vegetable garden this weekend, too, catherine! We’re trying to stay organic, too, so we’ll have to trade progress notes; because of the upcoming phoenix summer, we couldn’t put in much more than squash, artichoke, eggplant, and melons, but I’m excited to see what grows!
Oh please keep me posted. My last garden was in Seattle, and I could grown anything I wanted there. I know the burning sun in Texas will be a challenge, along with the squirrels. I’m planning on tomatoes, peppers and watermelons, but first we’ve got a lot of work in front of us. It’s our free gym! In the fall I think I’ll be able to get some more things planted. Do you have a double growing season like central Texas?
Cat
How’s the garden going, Catherine. I’m sorry to say that after a strong bout of squash, tomatoes, peppers, and strawberries, pretty much EVERYTHING has been fried by the heat. We do have a double growing season and I’m told that fall guarantees more success… but I’m still so sad for my poor dead garden!
Hi Laura,
I will be posting today or tomorrow some new images of the garden. It’s still going despite the 100 degree weather we’ve been having since June 1. I’m surprised. Life has ‘gotten in the way’ of my posting regularly, but I appreciate the nudge