Tiny Texas Garden

The only thing that is tiny in Texas is my four foot by four foot garden. It makes me so happy to have one again.

During the portion of my life in East Tennessee, we had a huge garden and it was so fruitful! Something about having had black thumbs most of my life went away with the miracle mud in sweet Tennessee. Several weeks ago, I started my garden. I began with seeds of many kinds and a small greenhouse I found online.

I had previously never worked with a greenhouse but had always wanted to. Our back yard gets very strong winds and where we live, like most of Texas, the weather is unpredictable.
Within days I had sprouts in both my containers and the Jiffy pots!

Later I replanted the Jiffy pots into my tiny garden. Overnight the sports were stronger and already much bigger. I decided to direct sow some radishes and carrots along with beets and lettuce. My containers are not growing the same. I think there is something to be said for an actual garden, even if it is tiny. I'm quite happy I decided to use the extra seeds and experiment with direct sow versus container growing.

Yesterday I decided I wanted to grow sunflowers again. In our Tennessee garden, I planted a row of mammoth sunflowers. Some of my favorite memories of walking through that garden are of looking up at these gorgeous giant sunflowers. They had hundreds of edible seeds in each gorgeous bloom. Here's to hoping for some success in Texas. I planted a few in the front of our house. We may be renting but that doesn't mean I can't make it beautiful. I planted several varieties and heights along with some zinnias.

For my whole life I believed that the luffa bath sponge came from the ocean. I have no idea where I began to believe that to be true. I definitely never questioned it. Sea sponges seemed logical to me. It could be possible as I have not consulted my friend google. I do know that I was mind blown when I found seeds for a gourd that are described to be "astonishingly tasty when picked young (2"), soft or light green. Harvest dry for terrific bath sponges." I planted the whole pouch in a giant barrel planter. I'm excited to see how these turn out. Who knows? I could be growing organic holiday gifts if this all works as planned!

There is something so healing about a garden. It brings me so much joy to see things flourish and to know I will soon be feeding my family from my tiny Texas garden.