Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your GARDEN grow?

Victory Gardens were grown during World Wars I and II under the pretense that gardening would help extend the life of food rations. Lots of people did garden in the hopes that growing their own food would help out, even in just a small way. Not too sure about that hat that looks like an internal organ (stomach maybe??? Help me out, Beth!), but her gladiator sandals are awesome.

My Mom and I decided to start a garden.


Some genius out there came up with these really cool things. They're trays with little individual sections made of peat. You fill them with soil and drop two seeds in, and then, once they grow big enough, you just tear apart the sections and drop them into the ground. Because they're made of peat, the whole thing can go straight into the ground! No plant-death-by-transplating. Also, you can start them indoors. It's like gardening for the florally challenged, which we are.






We planted the above vegetables (repetition would be obsolete).


Carrot seeds! Look how tiny they are! All the seeds (except beans) were pretty small. I'm kind of baffled how they go from being that tiny to like, a plant. Way to go, God, that was quite clever.


A pouch full of magic beans. :)

So this is what they looked like on Day 1:







And this is what they look like today!



Look how teensy weensy our lettuce is! It boggles my mind that lettuces start out so smallish!


The beans and radishes seem to be doing the best. If these beans keep it up, I may well be able to climb to the castle in the sky to fight the giant and get the Golden Goose. This is my goal.



This is the garden plot we made up in our backyard so that when they're ready, they can go in. The neat thing about the peat tray (well, there are lots, but this is one of them) is that it's re-usable. You just have to buy refill peat pots and then you can go again! I think once these are out, we're gonna try some squashes. Will keep you posted.


We also have some potted plants. They probably won't go into the ground....unless they get epically giant or something. I believe you're looking at a red pepper and a strawberry here.


Also, we got a pineapple. It apparently takes three years for them to go from seed to maturation. I'm not sure how old this one is, but I can pretty much guarantee it won't be until next Spring/Summer before we're able to eat it.


This one is probably my favorite just because it's called a BEEF MASTER tomato. He's just too epic for words. I wish I'd taken a pic when we first got the Beef Master, because he was about half the size he is now. Apparently, radishes, beans and tomatoes do really really well in Florida.

So total: two rows of radishes, carrots, lettuce, beans, red and green peppers, patio and BEEF MASTER tomatoes, strawberries and a pineapple. I'll keep you guys posted as to whether or not the Victory Garden is indeed victorious. If I never mention it again, either assume it's going swimmingly and I'm just being lazy, or that they all died and am too ashamed to admit it.