How Does Your Garden Grow?

Cy checking out the first seed to sprout.  If you look really close in the left hand corner, you can see a little speck of green in the sea of dirt.

We planted a garden a couple of weeks ago, in our old sandbox.  (The neighborhood cats had decided that our sandbox was a great litter box and had made it unusable.  Have I ever told you how much I DISLIKE cats? A lot.  Like a lot, a lot.)  So we loaded it up with some dirt and soil, and Wa La....instant garden!  With my wonderful mother-in-law's guidance, we planted: tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, summer squash, butternut squash (summer variety), zucchini, cucumbers, and peas.  I'm the designated waterer, for now.  I'll let the kids water when the plants start to really grow, but for now I'm afraid that they'll wash away the seeds.  They really like to water one spot really, really well.  And, when the weeds start to grow, we plan on having them help us weed.  We're all really excited about the garden and it's been a fun family activity.  We also believe that it can be a fun learning activity as well. It's amazing what planting a garden can teach your kids.  Hard work, responsibility, where food really comes from (in other words, not from the grocery store shelf) the list is endless.

The Garden, formerly known as The Sandbox

Dave wasn't too thrilled at the idea of planting a garden.  He grew up helping his mom with their garden that she faithfully plants at least twice a year.  He has bitter memories of weeding and watering the garden in 100+ degree weather and wasn't looking forward to doing it in his own backyard.  But with some cajoling, begging, and puppy dog eyes (I'm the master. FYI, it helps to have Large Protruding Eyes when attempting the Puppy Dog look.), I was eventually able to get him to come to my side.  However, the clincher, the deciding factor, really had nothing to do with what I did, but what I said.

"But Dave, we can make the kids water the garden, and then we can teach them to weed it and it can be one of their chores."


And, that's what did it.  Misery loves company and I think Dave felt that if as a child he had to suffer the horrors of weeding and gardening in the Arizona heat, then his kids should too.  Thus, our beautiful garden.

We are all so excited for the garden to grow, and just this morning I saw our first sign of life.  One of our cucumber seeds has sprouted.  Yum!  I can't wait for the deliciousness that is sure to follow!

The sprouted cucumber seed in all it's glory!