getting started outside

So, I haven't kept good track of my gardening for awhile, because I was overtaken by a wave of crippling paranoia and depression, but I've fixed myself up with some pills and a good drink for the moment.

As soon as May hit, I tore up a patch of grass in the backyard to turn into my vegetable garden. Screw you, pretty flowers, my garden is going to be practical and functional.

my little garden, half-planted

Of course, although I started with enthusiasm, things never go exactly as planned. I planted hundreds of seeds indoors all through March, but sort of got bored of watering them daily through April and May. In their tiny little pots, it took just about one good sunny afternoon to dry them out completely, and another for them to shrivel up and die. What with the frequent several-day-long benders and just being too goddamn tired to care in between, I lost a lot of my seedlings. 

I had vigorously pulled up the grass (harder work than it looks!) for my tiny plot, laid paving stones, and worked compost and garden soil into the clay soil my backyard is naturally cursed with...and then the cold weather just seemed to drag on and on, and I was afraid of putting my delicate little plants out in that kind of misery. But by mid-May, I decided my plants really couldn't take any more of my negligence, so out into the garden they began to go, to see how they would fend for themselves.

Progress report: I'm embarrassed to say that the things that seem to be doing the best are the chives and the parsley, which I bought at the local market and transplanted immediately into the garden. The tomatoes are baaarely growing,and the poor basil seems stunted. Some animal has been tearing up my baby lettuces. My multiplier onions are actually growing...however, I have no idea what to do with them! They're supposed to be harvested as green onions, but I only see one or two potential green onions shooting up from each bulb...Where's the multiplying, huh?

Zucchini? I planted half a dozen zucchini seeds indoors last week, but have yet to see anything sprout. I was so proud of my clever use of an old plastic strawberry container. just fill with soil (drainage holes already provided), plant seeds, water, and close the transparent lid. Ta-da, mini-greenhouse holds moisture in. So much easier than having to remember to water religiously while the seeds are germinating.

I planted my bell pepper and chili pepper seeds too late, as a bit of an afterthought. They're too small to make it in this short growing season, so there will be bare patches in my garden until I drag my ass to the market to pick up some more respectable-size plants.

Finally, the one thing I grew from seed on my own that seems to be flourishing is the little group of snow peas I planted in front of the deck.

Yeah, sure, they grow like weeds and are practically impossible to kill, but so is spearmint, and my stunted little spearmint plants will definitely not be contributing to any mojitos anytime soon, poor pathetic souls.

So, anyhow, after a month of rain, we've had two days in a row of sunshine, and maybe the backyard and my waterlogged little collection of pots will finally have a chance to recover and, god forbid, grow.