Let It Grow!

One zucchini hiding in the three sisters garden, two squash maturing next to the fence, and three gigantic watermelon hanging out in the peace patch! The brisk morning made the garden feel alive with energy. Every time we examine the watermelon plant a new melon is found and it's just as big if not bigger than the last.It seems as though everywhere you turn something amazing is happening; soon we'll be up to our ears in bush beans and radishes. The amaranth is taller than most preschoolers but I have a feeling that the sunflowers will shoot up soon enough as well. Last year some of them even towered over our heads. The yams are progressing nicely and following the watermelons example of how to escape beds; there is no evidence of fruiting yet but I have no doubt that by the end of the season we won't know what to do with all the delicious tubers.

We planted 6 zucchini seeds today since our first batch never produced any seedlings; hopefully this time they'll triumph. It's debatable but they were the most successful plant last season; even after school ended we were still handing out zucchini. The climate is still right for growing since we haven't hit below 65 yet! Our newly donated cherry tomato seedlings are a bit tiny to be transplanted but they look great nonetheless.

We didn't have any classes today but one of our preschools that normally come on Thursday stopped by for a visit. Aiden really enjoyed exploring the garden all by himself, he especially enjoyed observing the watermelon. It must be the sheer size and architecture of the plant that really attracts the kids. It could also be the constant flow of bees landing on and taking off of every blooming flower. We did have fun watering, weeding, and planting though; this vigor present in the act of gardening in the Edible Peace patch isn?t available through any other activity around.

The next month should bring a lot of dramatic changes in a very short period of time. Everything is already so big it's only a matter of time before the sugar snap peas and bush beans arrive followed by succulent spinach.