What I Learned from My Garden

As fall approaches and the weather begins to cool, the vegetable garden I planted with Chloe is nearing the end of its production. Chloe and I harvested over 20 pounds of Roma tomatoes today and I sheared back the cherry tomatoes which are encroaching on the fence. While I was shearing the cherry tomatoes Chloe was planning a garden for Matt, telling me that Daddy needed his own garden too. I think we will just stick to the small garden we have now.

I do believe that Chloe has learned a great deal from the garden. We had a nice chat today about the life cycle of a tomato plant and what the purpose of the fruit and seeds are on the vine.

I've been blanching, skinning and freezing the Roma's so we can enjoy the bounty this winter. Anyone have any good tomato soup recipes?

As an homage to my garden--and a written record for myself of what to do and NOT to do---following is a list of what I have learned from my garden:

1. Six (6) cherry tomato plants are about five (5) too many for me. The children's gardening book that I took the vegetable recommendations from recommended six cherry tomato plants for the pizza garden. I don't know if the author was expecting us to make pizza for Pizza H*ut, but the six plants were out of control. I couldn't give the tomatoes away or fast enough. The cherry tomato carnage after shearing them back---
   
   

2. Roma tomatoes are great for sauces, cherry tomatoes are great for snacking and in salads. I need to cut back on the cherry tomatoes (see #1) and plant a juicier variety of tomato next year---hello, Jersey tomato.

3. According to Chloe, you should stop picking when the bowl gets heavy. By Chloe's calculation, you should stop picking after about 10 cherry tomatoes.

4. I didn't enjoy growing onions. I just put little spring onions in the ground and in a month I had big onions. I guess it was too easy. Of course, my husband did learn that they are called spring onions because they are pulled in the spring, before they get big. They aren't a different, special variety. I guess that was rewarding.

5. Skip the eggplant next year. We didn't like our variety.

6. Gardening with a child is fun. Chloe asked lots of questions and she is quite proud of her garden.