How Does Your Garden Grow?

"Mary, Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow?"

One of my favorite nursery rhymes... it made me always want to have a garden. Unfortunately, God blessed me with a black thumb and Florida heat, so not everything I plant actually can survive. I do have a couple of herbs: Greek and Sweet basil, oregano, and Italian parsley, as well as some fun plants: spearmint, chives, green beans, cayenne peppers, and tomatoes. The vegetables are still very young, so I'll keep you posted on their progress (and use in my recipes when they are ripe!)

Fresh herbs really are the best things you can add to any meal (see past recipes for examples). If you feel you have a black thumb like me, you can buy the small pots of mature herbs at your local hardware store or nursery. Just re-pot them in some rich soil so that they can flourish. Make sure it is soil made for vegetables and herbs, so that you are not exposing yourself to harmful chemicals and pesticides.

Also, in order to survive the hot summer months, you must water the plants EVERY day. Not much, just a little water is all they need. My husband likes to joke that I have "killed" my herbs on days when I have not yet watered them, and he finds them limp and dragging on the ground. After some water for them, and luck for me, they perk right back up!

Go to www.marthastewart.com/gardening for some great tips and ideas on how to start your own perfect garden. You can also check out the Earthbox, a fool-proof way to garden that doesn't require watering everyday (www.earthbox.com). All methods take a little patience and diligence to keep plants healthy, but the rewards are ones you can taste everyday!