Pygmy Basil

One of the more interesting things going on in the "garden" is that the Basil that I planted at the same time as the Peppermint, are standing only three to four inches high. What little Basil has surfaced is much different than previous years.

If you notice the picture below of the two large pots next to the garden box... the full lush green one is Peppermint and next to it the Basil. Their leaves are as fragrant as ever but they are so short and few.

I'm thinking that it may have to do with the soil that it was planted in, for the most part it was used for a flower box and a store bought tomato plant. Perhaps the tomato plant threw off the PH levels of the soil and that is what I'm seeing. If not man I'm onto to something...Pygmy Basil :)

These brown thumbs ?

**Due to camera issues this post is about a week late**

Last year I dabbled in gardening, well more like watering. My version of gardening was to throw some Basil into a pot and water it. This year I decided I had to channel my homesteading fantasy into something on a practical scale, so I decide that I would see what else I could grow from seed.


Around Mother's Day I built a 6'X 3' garden box (see above) and made a list of the herbs, fruits and veggies I wanted to grow. Admittedly I got a later start than I would have like, part of the learning is figuring out how each seed responds to cold/heat and the amount of water it like. I learned that Green Peppers are extremely difficult, especially in the chill of late spring.

I found myself excitedly rushing out each day to see if I could spot any growth whatsoever, and then one day I saw green popping out of a couple pots containing Roma Tomato seeds... I was hooked. Technically, the first growth was the Peppermint, which thankfully I planted in its own planter. I had read that Peppermint will take over and smother other plants if given the chance, it has grown like wildfire and I'm trying to figure out all the ways to use the stuff this summer.

Once some of the seeds were viable I decided it was time to transplant either to the box garden or to its own pot. It soon became clear that I was overrun in Broccoli and Lettuce so I decided they were the obvious choice for the box garden. I packed them in as tight as I could and maybe too tight (time will tell) and still I had to give away Broccoli seedlings to the neighbors.



The tomatoes did way better than I expected (see above), in fact the tomato plants shown are maybe half of what I actually have. I'm growing three varieties: Roma, Early Girls and Cherry... The Roma's did so well that I only planted them once. The other two I planted a second group indoors under a grow light and it has made an incredible difference. The plants indoors are about two weeks younger and are already much bigger, I simply don't have space for them outside yet...what a nice problem to have :)

It is easy to see how addicting it can be to garden and I can only imagine what it will be like when they plants start to produce. I'm expecting so much that I expect to have to find good homes for some of these plants later in the summer. Ironically the only planting that has been disappointing is the Basil, I think it jealous of all the attention I give to the others :)

A List of what I am growing:

Basil
Peppermint
Baby Carrots
Broccoli (approx. 25)
Lettuce (approx. 30)
Snow Peas (8 plants...including 1 inverted)
Green Peppers (30 plants...27 grown indoors)
Tomatoes
Roma (approx. 40)
Early Girls (approx. 15)
Cherry (approx. 30)

OK I'm back...for now Part. 2

I did not completely fall off the face of the earth...I first need to stretch and shake off the rust before I blog seriously... be back soon.