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Plenty of Time for Growing

Category: Inspired | Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 7:16 pm

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From deep under the soil of our parents' love,
Engouraged by rainfall from above,
A seed begins to grow.

Minerals and vitamins rich in the earth,
The moist ground slowly gives birth,
The seedling says hello.

It's not too long before true leaves appear,
The sapling grows a little more each year,
It's branches make a show.

The time to prune her back has come,
It hurts at first but when it's done,
She'll be better for it.

The pain didn't really last too long,
The tiny bird reveals his song,
Safely from the branches.

The beautiful tree offers her shade,
Arms stretched wide, as she was made,
Proud and tall for all to see.

God has shown me time and again that it often requires me to be hurt or uncomfortable in order for His perfect plan to appear. But every time the time is near, I find myself wishing it to be otherwise. If only I could just trust Him to prune me, so I can become a beautiful tree. I must be a peach tree, needing lots of training; crazy to grow and have my way. Or maybe I have tiny aphids that I can't see and He's trying to rid me of them... make me healthy again. And I'm complaining about the hose water being too cold. When will I ever trust Him fully?

Last edited: Tue Jun 16, 2009 7:24 pm

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Bugs are stupid!

Category: My Veggie Garden | Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 7:50 pm

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Every morning I get up, see my husband off to work, and then go, as my husband lovingly refers to it, "stare at my garden"... trying to notice subtle changes in leaves, fruits, etc. Assessing what will be next to make it to the dinner table. Inspecting, weeding, watering, etc.

The other day when I went for my routine garden-staring session, I saw what appeared to be bug-poop on a few leaves. By looking at the leaves above, I found a giant wormish caterpiller-thing under a leaf (see pic). The next day, I found a few little tiny inch-worm-looking guys under the leaves on two other kinds of plants. The day after that, I noticed strange holes in more leaves!

I've been spraying with pesticides ever since I found the leafminers & aphids a few months ago. So why is this happening to me?! My poor plant-babies!! Any suggestions, guys? I've been using Ortho spray for veggies and Sevin dust. Am I missing something? Even if you don't know how to get rid of these damning creatures, can you identify them so I can find some way to get rid of them? Please?


This little beast was murdering my tomatillos! ( photo / image / picture from KatyBug's Garden )






Worms on my brussel sprouts & tomatoes! arrrg! ( photo / image / picture from KatyBug's Garden )





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Why I am now a "Gardener"

Category: My Veggie Garden | Posted: Thu May 28, 2009 8:57 pm

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I rent my home. My husband and I have never really been that interested in investing time or effort in growing the lawn, much less flowers, vegetables, or the like. Until recently.

This past April, it occured to me that everytime I buy a piece of fruit or a vegetable, I am throwing away seeds that, if cared for could produce more food. It sounds pretty basic, I know but it just never occured to me that I already had purchased at least one ingredient required to actually grow something. Besides, with money tight I thought it certainly wouldn't hurt to try a veggie garden.

Being a bit of a nerd, I went to the library and checked out & read 5 or 6 gardening books before I lifted a finger outside. I read more info online, and decided, upon looking at how pathetic our dirt is, that I would likely be growing things in containers or at most in raised beds. In looking for the most economical choice, I opted to begin with a plastic kiddie pool. I cut the bottom out, and laid the pool wall (a ring, really) on the ground and lined it with landscaping cloth that allows water to drain through. I then filled the pool with a combination of purchased gardening soil, cow manure, top soil, and a little of the junky dirt from our yard. Meanwhile, inside I started scraping seeds from tomatoes, peppers, etc. into a sub-compartmentalized, covered seed-starting tray. Once things started sprouting (within a week), I was hooked. I started planting all sorts of things. Anything I could find in the kitchen, like lentils and flax seed right out of the bag.

Eventually, I planted the seedlings into the kiddie pool, along with other plants I either grew from seeds or bought as seedlings. And that brings me up to date. I'm still an EXTREME beginner at this gardening thing and and still mostly just happy I haven't killed anything, and I have been able (thus far) to prevent bugs or disease from killing anything. Ok, except one head of lettuce that I lost to a huge colony of aphids, but once I yanked out the head, the rest of the lettuce has been fine! So, as my sister says "You Grow Girl!"


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