How Does Your Garden Grow?

One of my favorite parts of spring and summer is growing a garden. Growing up, my parents and my grandparents gardened, and I learned so much by watching them and by helping them each year. David's parents also plant a garden each year. Now, I need to clarify about David's parents' garden. Their small garden of tomatoes, squash, zucchini, and cut flowers is not to be confused with their farm that grows corn, soybeans, rice, and sometimes milo. David started working on the farm as a young boy and continued working summers through college; planting, growing, and harvesting has been a huge part of his life, a part that he sometimes misses. It only makes sense that we would have a garden of our own.

David and I both love working in the yard, and last year we decided to plant a garden in our backyard. We started small and were able to decide what we liked to grow and what we did not like to grow. Okra was a yes, but we needed more plants. Tomatoes were a yes, but we needed different varieties. Hot banana peppers were a no because they were too hot, and we did not know what to do with the large amount of peppers that the plants produced. I do not know how to can foods, and at this point in my life I don't plan on learning. Maybe one day.

This year we expanded the size of our garden and tried some new plants; we are growing watermelons, tomatoes, squash, okra, strawberries, herbs, and cut flowers. Sadly, our squash bit the dust overnight thanks to vine borers, but all of the other plants are thriving. One of our watermelon plants has grown the entire length of our garden. I particularly love planting flowers because I enjoy having fresh flowers in the house.

I cannot wait for Carver to be old enough to help in the garden. I think having a child help with tasks such as this one is beneficial to his character development, and many biblical stories and principles can be taught through the tending of a garden: the parable of the sower, the parable of the mustard seed, patience, diligence, responsibility, and many more. While this will be my focus, I am sure that Carver will be pleased simply to play in the dirt until he is a teenager. Then, I am sure, he will not care much about the garden or the dirt.

Now that I have shared with you more than you ever wanted to know about our garden, I will leave you with some photos from our gardening adventures.