Welcome to Mama Homesteader!

Follow my family in year 3 of our homesteading journey. Along the way we try to answer the question ," What can one small family do to change their lives on little more than 1/10th of an acre?" Let's Find Out!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Of Tomatoes and Toddlers.

   As much as I find that I like helping Sarah learn new things, I find that in the beginning stages of gardening its been best to do it myself. Most the time she's too excited to play in the dirt and WON'T listen to instructions. She also just keeps digging, often in a newly planted bed. Thankfully she's been distracted the past two days with her kiddy pool. That sounds evil, but I think her energy level will be best suited to the later stages of gardening like harvest time. What can I say, my little princess is a human ping pong ball bouncing everywhere!
    But even as great as it seemed to "do it myself", even sometimes I don't know best. I planted a tomato bed early this morning, and watered it in. Obviously this mama didn't pay attention, because by evening I had tomato plants with pinched wilted stems. There were about eight or nine that had to be replaced. (Thank god for all those extras!) Note to self: when watering in do not water on the plant. In this heat they cook. Off to the side is best. And in the evening when its cool , water well.  If I had been slowly going along having her help me, then I would have probably taken the time to realize that. Oh well life is a learning experience..... ( and I managed to kill some other greenhouse seedlings too this way. eek!).
   We have three beds of tomatoes now. With losing some, and replacing, that's still 63 plants! I hope that my family loves tomatoes. But if more die off I guess it wont be too horrible, even though I still have fourteen seedlings left. The potatoes and marigolds are planted, and the shade garden is done. What a day!
    For tomorrow, we'll see how the tomatoes hold up. Maybe we'll start the pumpkin patches or the garlic patch. Who knows. But I do know this, ready the bed early and plant in the cool evening;)


                                            Cheers!~ Mama Homesteader

No comments:

Post a Comment