After years of killing every plant that I have owned, I decided in January that this would be the year I would grow a successful garden. And boy have I tried! My original plans to try with a few plants I had seeds for expanded when Pete's Aunt Jill gave me a bunch of left over seeds she had - cilantro, zuchinni, lots of onions, tomatoes, and squash to name a few. I had little plants growing all over my house in dixie cups this spring - it must have looked like we were growing marijuana to our neighbors. But sadly very few of the poor innocent seedlings survived me forgetting to water them or planting them before they were strong enough to make it on their own. Not much success growing from seed, but I have somehow managed to plant tomatoes on accident under our apricot tree, and keep alive some tomato plants that someone donated to our churches "Leave or Take" box.
But zuchhini must be hardy plants because they have not only survived but taken over! I planted 6 little zuchinni seedlings in the raised bed Pete built me, and they have grown over the onions and tomatoes, and are suffocating them!
Here you can see the tomatoes pushed over the edge of the box by the zuchinni - selfish plants!
Here are some of the many, many zuchinnis we've harvested this summer. I need to learn how to freeze them because I am actually getting tired of eating them! Aren't they huge?
So from my gardening attempts this summer I have learned that I need to work on spacing my plants :). And I get to cross something off my list:
41. Plant spaghetti squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, asain carrots, and butterleaf lettuce
42. Grow these things successfully :) (the tomatoes anyways!)
The wonderful thing about San Diego is that I get to try again with gardening this Fall. I think I will leave zuchinni out!
good for you! from small things, great things can grow.
ReplyDeleteYour zucchinis are beautiful!! Excellent job Andrea!
ReplyDeleteThanks guys! At least I can grow zuchinnis!
ReplyDeleteYes, after 4 years of gardening we're still looking it as a grand experiment here. We figure while we still don't quite know all there is to do - we are definitely learning what *not* to do season by season.
ReplyDeleteSimply Faith - that is encouraging!
ReplyDeleteWow, those zucchini look great! Am I remembering correctly that you made some zucchini bread? Or was that someone else...? They're good stir-fried with some yellow squash and yellow onion in a little olive oil and whatever seasoning you like. Also, they go great on a veggie pizza! Brush a pre-baked crust with a mixture of olive oil, crushed garlic, and Italian seasoning. Put on slices of zucchini, onion, mushrooms, tomatoes, bell peppers - whatever you like - then top with some mozzarella cheese. Bake until the crust edges begin to brown and the cheese melts. Mmmmmmm...
ReplyDeleteHi there - in my experience freezing zucchini doesn't work very well unless you have cooked them first - e.g in briam, or in soup - but if you cure them, just like you'd cure a squash, they will keep for months somewhere cool and dry. My courgettes over produce every year. and every year we are still eating "marrows" stored this way in February or March. Hope this helps, Karin
ReplyDeleteAshley - I made some carrot bread. Zucchini bread sounds amazing, but all those expensive ingrediants to make gluten free bread (xantham gum). I love the idea of a veggie pizza! I made some rattatouie the other day
ReplyDeleteKarin - Thanks for the tips! I blanched some before freezing them, but I will try curing them as well.
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