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Category: Michele's Garden | Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2011 11:21 pm

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Hello all. It has been a while. I don't know why but a change was needed and I spent more time on facebook. I have planted a smaller garden then normal this year and my son is planting his own as well This past year was a very stressful year for our son, who just turned 8. A lot of bullying at school, a very stern teacher and other stressors that lead to severe migraines and other behavioral problems. In April we decided it was time to home school him. He is thrilled and so are we. He is such a loving and caring child who LOVES learning. But as we have found out...School and learning have very little in common.Since the end of school there have been NO MIGRAINE headaches and he hasn't been grinding his teeth. He is turning back into the happy loving child he used to be.

Our major science project is the garden. He has planted 8 tires with tomatoes, string beans, eggplant, zucchini, marigolds and cukes. The garden went in several weeks late due to flooding and horrible rains here in Vermont. WE got over 12 inches of rain in MAY! Logans garden tires are producing everything but cukes. They got a late start and it was very very hot too. We have have 4 zucchini of his plants and his tomatoes are doing well. AND there are 3 eggplants growing! He loves helping in the garden, though the smelly fish emulsion feeding he doesn't like much!



Another science project brought on by the garden was a unit on garter snakes. I HATE snakes and this year there were several snakes that were in the garden on a regular basis. So needless to say..I don't run away screaming like a little girl anymore...I know they eat the bugs and the spiders and slugs. So they are helping...they just stay out of my way and I don't reach into any of the tires!

My garden is going okay. Since planting late and the beans getting drowned and eaten by some bug..they are slow to come but they are starting to get flowers on them. So hopefully we will have string beans in the next few weeks. We have lots of tomatoes of all kinds...only the sungold cherries have started to ripen. Today I have all the tomato plants a good trimming and now we should start to see some ripen. No caterpillars we found! Since we started the recycle tire garden we have not got a single one of those tomato hook worms!











The blackberry bushes are loaded with large plump berries. We are having a bumper crop this year. I picked 2 gallons the other night and another gallon tonight!





The flower beds are doing very well. The glads have opened this week with the August heat and are gorgeous. The zinnias that Logan planted are so pretty as well. And this year the morning glories started all by themselves from the seeds of last year.









I will try to blog more. I am also blogging Logan's home schooling experiences as well.

Enjoy everyone and Happy gardening!






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Sjoerd wrote on Sat Aug 06, 2011 11:39 pm:

Hello there you stranger, you! I sure have missed your posts during your absence.

I am so sorry to hear that your son has been having it difficult at school. These are difficult years. I wish you lots of good luck with the home teaching. There is no reason that it wouldn't work. I just hope that you have time enough to spend with your son. i recall that when you changed jobs you had it quite busy at your new job. Is that still going well?

Well,it is a delight to see your garden doing so well this year. I chuckled a little when you told about the snakes. I am glad that you didn't kill them all right away. They are indeed helpful, but if you don't like them, then I can see that you don't want to cross their path. I'll bet they feel the same way about you.hahaha.

Anyway, your toms,flowers,fruit and veg all look super.Here's wishing you a continued good season and that your son has a good summer and better year next school year.
I,for one,hope that you will be on here more often.

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gardenmama wrote on Sun Aug 07, 2011 12:37 am:

Hi Sjoerd. I haven't changed jobs. I still drive bus and I sell Lia Sophia jewelry on the weekends. I will have plenty of time between bus routes to teach Logan, AND they give you a full 12 months to do the required days of school. We started already and have 10 days down! He is loving it. he will certainly learn more at home than at school. AND he will be happier and healthier. i am sending him to school for music and art. Basically to keep in touch with his friends. I will try and blog more often. I so miss our discussions here.

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Netty wrote on Sun Aug 07, 2011 1:37 am:

Hi Gardenmama! We have missed you! It sounds like your garden is doing very well. I've met several people this summer who homeschool. I wish I had known more about it when my older kids were smaller.
I hope to see you here more often as well :)

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daisybeans wrote on Sun Aug 07, 2011 5:23 am:

Funny, your name just came up in a topic about tire gardening the other day and now here you are! You must have heard us talking about you! I also always think of you with regard to tomatoes in particular. It's nice to see you back.

I hope things continue to go well with your boy -- nomore headaches! I am a counselor in an elem-middle school... and sometimes it is just tough to be a kid! He will do better now. And you won't worry so much either. Good luck with the home schooling. So nice to see you.

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Frank wrote on Sun Aug 07, 2011 5:48 am:

Sounded like a rough year GardenMama. Glad to have you back here!

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glendann wrote on Tue Aug 09, 2011 12:26 am:

I love the horn tomato cats.They turn into thehummingbirdmoths.Ilove to see them come out in the eveningto suck on the Dataura's trumpets,and Moon flower trumpets
I had wondered what happened to you and your Logan.as I had a Logan also.Jubabetaught her son Allen at home and he caught up and went way past to being way smartat schooling.He graduated with honors from regular school.She started home teaching for the same reason you did.

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glendann wrote on Tue Aug 09, 2011 12:28 am:

GARDEN MAma, We missed youI do Facebook too but its not as much fun as when I played Farmville.

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gardenmama wrote on Tue Aug 09, 2011 12:34 am:

Glendann...I know Logan is going to learn so much more without the stress that his in school counterparts. he is so excited about it and so am I. The level of stress is his life was completely unacceptable. I am so happy to have my fun loving boy back! I am blogging his homeschool experiences as well. I will get you the link.

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Karrma wrote on Tue Aug 09, 2011 10:58 pm:

HI, so many ways to teach your child at home. I really wished I could have homeschooled my kids. Doubling or halving recipes is a great way to learn fractions.
Keeping a journal is a great way to learn writing skills.
The local library has lots of bulletins/classes for homeschooled kids to meet in our area, as well as music, sports, etc.
Good luck.

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