Community Garden Experiment: Wordless Wednesday
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Tag Archives: false creek
Community Garden Experiment: My Son the Radish Lover
It’s So Worth It Already
This experiment of mine is really paying off. One of the biggest reasons I took this project on was to find ways for my son to learn to like, and maybe even love vegetables. I want him to learn, with me, how much joy and satisfaction that can be had from growing food that can be eaten right from the garden.
Just this morning I walked over to my plot to water the garden. It was time to thin out the radishes and so I picked a handful and took them home. They were teeny tiny, but perfect in every way. I’m sure it won’t be long before some of them make their way into a fresh garden salad. When my son spied the small bounty in my hand, he immediately wanted one. And so I cleaned it off and gave it to him whole, leaves and all.
I can’t express how much joy I felt bubbling up inside when my little guy tasted that radish I had just pulled from the garden. Not only that, but he carried it around with him like his Soo-soo (baby speak for soother) sucking on it from time to time. He really seemed to enjoy it.
What a happy little guy I have. I am so lucky.
Community Garden Experiment: What’s Eating Me Peas?!
Eating Me Spinach
Our community garden in the Olympic Village on False Creek is really coming along. Many of the plots are starting to ‘green out’ with lush crops of spinach, lettuce, kale, radishes, carrots and the like. Some of the gardeners have planted tulips, daffodils and pansies which bring wonderful colour, loveliness, (and bees!) to the space.
My plot is doing pretty good for the most part. I’ve got a nice showing of spinach and lettuce and the carrots and radishes are growing fast. I’ve never tasted fresh greens from the garden so it was quite a treat to pick a bit of spinach and pop it into my mouth. What wonderful texture and crispness! It’s as if it still tastes alive. I’ll never look at ‘fresh’ produce from the supermarket in quite the same way. But, along with the small success I have had along the way comes a bit of trouble. And I’m hoping that you can help me.
Me Peas! Me Poor Peas
My pretty little pea plants are being eaten faster than they can grow it seems. I’m wondering if I should just start again…or wait it out to see if they will they pull through. These pea plants are just babies, barely 10 cm high. Half of the plants were started from seed in the garden while the other half were lovingly started at home and tended to for a couple weeks under grow lights. I’ve looked at the other plots that have peas, and none seem to be disappearing at the rate mine are. Maybe it’s the plot location. It’s located next to the compost bin which I imagine attracts a lot of pests. But what do I know really? My thumb is nowhere near green. So, I’m askin’. What do I do?
Wordless Wednesday
Community Gardening Experiment
Black Thumb, Me
Every time I’ve attempted gardening or kept houseplants it’s led to a disastrous ending. I’m not really sure why but I suspect I shower them (quite literally) with too much love or forget about them altogether. I have even killed cactus. Oh the shame!
Before having a baby I managed to keep a couple plants alive for more than a year. But in the first six months of the babymoon, I completely neglected them. They only managed to get my attention once the leaves had dropped but by then it was too late. Off to the bin they went, me winging all the while about how I was a plant killer and would never get it right! In an effort to make myself feel better I resorted to decorating my apartment with bits of green here and there to bring a little nature inside. I’ve even put a green rug in the living room just so I can imagine healthy living grass underfoot. It’s pathetic really.
Turning Over a New Leaf
I come from a family of natural born gardeners. When I was a child, my mom spent hours taking care of the yard. She planted pansies and marigolds amongst other lovely living things. But even then my green thumb days were numbered. I remember one summer I ‘helped’ my mom with her garden by pulling out all the marigolds and rearranging them the way I thought they should be. I think I killed them all but my mom was probably too kind to say anything. It’s time to get over that.
This year I’ve decided that one of the best ways to shed this black thumb of mine is to
dive in headfirst. I have an 18 month old baby now who I seem to be feeding and watering regularly, surely tending a garden would be old hat by now. So, I signed up for a community garden plot in the Olympic Village. It’s a lovely spot amongst the 40 odd plots that were up for grabs through The Village on False Creek Community Garden Society. For 40 bucks a year I’ve got a plot all to myself.
Therapy? Perhaps
I can’t believe that I’m saying this, but I am giddy with the prospect of growing a few carrots of my own. I love the idea of including my little munchkin too. At the moment he really shies away from getting his hands dirty, so much like his dad he is! I think this experiment will be therapeutic for all of us. I am also looking forward to meeting my neighbouring gardeners who will no doubt take pity on me when they spot these less than green thumbs. It’s going to be a great summer!
So here’s the plan. I will be posting pictures and blogging about the trials and tribulations of my community gardening experiment. I’m looking forward to seeing those first green shoots poke out of the soil!
I would love it if you would participate too. If you have questions or comments, I want to hear them. Is it a deal? I need all the help I can get.
Thanks for reading.
Namaste