Gardening

I've gone from knowing pretty much nothing, when I first set out to build some raised beds all by myself, to having a small number of things figured out about this gardening stuff.  This year, we were surprised to discover that a couple of the things we planted last year, the artichoke and the poppies, are perennials.  So without any effort whatsoever on my part, there are already some big, healthy plants in our garden.  The first year we made the predictable mistake of having too much enthusiasm for the amount of space we actually have, and planted way too much.  This year, I really scaled back, and hope to have healthier plants as a result.  Most of my herbs are growing in pots close to the kitchen door, but a few I've found demand the increased sun of the garden.  What my son learned:  pulling weeds is way more fun when wearing a Viking helmet!
One of the best lessons I learned came from maverick homeschooling mom Meagan, who was interested in raising medicinal herbs with her son, but daunted by the prospect of buying dozens of plants and seed packs.  Instead she put together a seed and seedling exchange, and it was a huge success!  With contributions from 14 families, we each had enough seeds and seedlings to start a lovely herb garden, and a chance to try some brand new plants.  Most of us brought our seedlings home in egg cartons.  Jasper is very pleased that so many of his friends will be growing the same herbs. You can see our friend Jennifer's post about the exchange here.