Garden 2013 // Part 2

Saturday, I shared with all you on the interweb, whats going on in my backyard.

Today, I am taking you through the gate, to the front yard. The place where my little tomato babies are growing up.

Technically I should have posted these in the opposite order; but I like to be a little backwards. It keeps life interesting, ya know?
The reason as to why my veggies planter is in the front and not the back, is simple. The front yard has a plethora of sunshine, while the backyard is mostly shade. Every surrounding neighbor has a giant tree in their yard, making a cool oasis in the back where things don't grow all that well. There are a few spots, which I filled up with an eggplant, peppers and cucumbers.

^^^Here's the gate we go through. You didn't know I was being literal about it, did you.

^^^My tomatoes are living in this planter box, which is built out of concrete pavers. I have four varieties of tomato plants, yellow squash, zucchini, basil, and some marigolds.

^^^ This was what the contents of my box looked like a couple weeks ago.

^^^ And here it is today. Beautiful, if I do say so myself.

Lets take a closer look....

^^^ They are growing!! It makes me so happy to discover a new little baby fruit everyday . :)

^^^ The four heirloom tomato plants I have are: Stupice, Big Beef, Yellow pear, and Chocolate Stripe.

I would have gotten one of every kind if I had the room, but I do not. Next year ;)

^^^ Marigolds are planted around the edge of the box, to add color and to prevent bugs and such.

^^^ You all know how much I love me some basil. {aka pesto!} I have to varieties, one is a large leaf the other one I cannot remember. I got it at farmers market, and they told me what it was but it was not labeled, so I don't remember. My memory is not so ripe these days.

The large leaf came in a four pack, so they are scattered around the tomatoes. It helps the tomatoes have better flavor, they say.

^^^ Heirloom zuchinni.

^^^ Yellow squash. Why is that one all bumpy and stuff? weird.

^^^Look! I picked one! and I ate it! and it wasn't gross!!

I've been pruning, and watering and giving daily love and attention to all these little buggers. 

Last year, My tomatoes pretty much failed. 

Between the gophers, replanting everything because of the gophers, a too shallow of box, and overwatering; my garden was not a success.

This year, the box is deeper, there are no gophers, and I only water every other day. (or when needed)

I also got better quality plants; heirloom, organic, pesticide free from Growing Grounds Santa Maria, via Rutiz farms. I also covered all of my vegetable plants in agricultural plastic, which I got from my padre, (he's in the biz; perks, I tell you!) to keep everything nice and toasty.

Because they are all heirloom, it also means that next year I can grow new plants from the seeds of the tomatoes. You can't do that with them Home Depot plants!

Maybe I'll even share some seeds with ya'll. I love you that much.

To see whats going on in the back yard, see part 1.