How does my garden grow?

Slowly.

We had a bit of a late start this year because the weather was unseasonably cold (we had snow in May!) and damp at the beginning of the season.  Then we alternated between cool and rainy and hot and humid.

So unlike past years, we haven’t been able to harvest much from our two little 4×4 garden plots.  We’ve had just one meal of green beans and that’s it.  The broccoli plants are barely forming heads.  The cherry tomatoes are still green.  Some of my regular tomato plants died. The carrots are still tiny.

The wild raspberries that are usually so plentiful this time of year have been virtually non-existent.  I saw two the other night on my walk. Two.  Not two pints.  Just two raspberries.  I’m still holding out hope that more will come in, but I’m worried.  Raspberries are one of my favorite summer treats, and I just can’t bear to pay for them at the store.

I was lamenting the garden’s slow growth and my husband had to say this:

“Well, if you’re going to garden, you do actually have to do the work.”

And he’s right.  Sure, the weather has played a role in the slow growth of the garden, but so has my laziness.  I haven’t been keeping up with weeding.  I haven’t fertilized it this year and I think that would help.  If it weren’t for Mother Nature and my dear, sweet husband, I don’t think the garden would ever get watered.

So yes. My garden is growing.  It’s a little unruly.  But it will produce eventually.

And for now, as I’m busy shepherding children to activities and keeping them from killing each other while holding together my sanity, I’m okay with that.

How is your garden doing?