Garden update

I got into gardening mindset this weekend. It looks like the arugula I planted a month ago has bolted, despite being on the north side of my house. I moved its pot into the shade.

With the help of my friend the chef, I discovered that the previous owner had at least oregano, rosemary, chives, and peppermint planted, and they're coming back. I added cilantro, and basil to the herbs.

When I bought the house late last summer, there were summer squash vined taking over the patio. There seem to be three large, shallow basins planned for those kinds of plants. So I planted a pumpkin vine, a watermelon vine, and one zucchini. I put two tomato plants in containers. I put a leaf lettuce variety in a planter box in the shade.

I had moments of near panic yesterday... I really don't know what I'm doing. I've read a lot, one of my roommates has done a lot of gardening herself, but I think ultimately it has to come down to trying something. I alternate between being frustrated that I don't have more dirt and overwhelmed by the planters I do have, so I think this is a good starting place.

Back in March, I was exploring the idea of renting a community garden plot for the summer. I'm anxious about that because I'm the type of person who lives to watch big projects get off the ground. I am not a good maintainer. Also, given that I don't know what I'm doing, I figure starting small and asking lots of questions is a good place to start. 400 square feet did not seem like starting small to me.

So, I'm starting with the patio and will be volunteering at farms over the summer to satisfy my desire to have more of a hand in producing my own food.