posted by Ashalah on Gardening

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My little potted garden is not so little anymore. In fact if you were to walk out onto my back porch you would think you had entered a wild, untamed jungle. You wouldn’t be far from the truth. It certainly is untamed and I’m pretty positive if I get too close to my tomatillo plants they are going to reach out with their long branches full of hot air balloon type fruits, and entwine me so I’m stuck with them forever.

This might be an early sign of paranoia but I’m pretty sure my plants are planning a hostile take over. Take my tomato plant. Sure, it’s produced tons of delicious little red fruits, but it’s the most raggedy looking plant I’ve ever seen. It refuses to stay inside it’s cage and instead is spreading out horizontally across the floor, making it tricky to get to the stairs to the backyard. It’s partially my fault since the week it got its major growth spurt I was out of town and by the time I got back its branches were too long to contain in the cage. But now it’s a monster.

Don’t be fooled by the smaller pepper plants. Specifically, the jalapeño. That bastard has produced 28 peppers, three of which wound up in guacamole and corn bread, twelve were pickled and the other 12 are still growing. I’m just now recovering from that experience and now I’m afraid to handle jalapeños again without full body armor and a gas mask.

The exciting news is that I have FIVE red bell peppers growing (compared to only two green bells last year), over FIFTY tomatillos (if you have a birthday coming up you know what you’ll be getting) and my basil, mint and rosemary, all plants I killed last year, are doing wonderfully. I’ve used my rosemary in some apple rosemary scones and I’ve even made rosemary olive oil. The basil I’m less sure what to do with; tonight I’m planning on making a roasted tomato and basil pesto but if you have any other ideas please comment away!

Over the weekend I had a BBQ and I swear I didn’t buy my mint with the sole purpose of making monitors with it but that’s what it’s turning into. I do want to make some mint salads but with the rapid rate that the mint is growing, it’s going to go brown and brittle before I’m able to use even a few branches of it. Again, ideas are most welcome.

I’ve come to discover that I really enjoy gardening. I’m able to produce something beautiful–and keep it alive–right in my back yard. I guess it’s easier since I can soak my plants and not run the risk of overwatering. Thank you, 100 degree Colorado! Granted, they do wilt a LOT and threaten to die on a daily basis. I’m still fighting a daily battle to keep them alive but looking at their growth from my last post on my garden, I’d say I’m winning.

Tags: My Potted Garden