Garden day 2 casualty report

I had such high hopes, images of baskets overflowing with fruit, nighttime sneaky drop offs at our neighbor's front doors because we were just bursting with tomatoes...  Now that still might happen...but...just went out to check on the plants and 2 tomatoes died.  Ok - one of them I definitely stepped on while I was planting another one.  :(  It was a tomatillo, his name was Tommy.  I'm sorry Tommy.  He is survived by his beloved sister, Tomasita.  The other goner was a Golden Egg tomato as yet unnamed (but not unloved).  He is survived by his cousin Hubert who will live in a container on the deck waiting until my sister can claim him in July.  

Hubert:  (Shh - he doesn't yet know and he cannot read.)

And the dead cucumber.  Yup.  He didn't make it.  None of the cukes did.  I may try from seeds or just go buy a plant.  Or just accept cucumbers from my friend who has the green touch.

So there you have it - a rough start for Garden 2011.  Hopefully it will improve.  

These guys are in their beds!

This will be my third year attempting a garden.  Do I enjoy killing plants you ask?  Why yes, yes I do.  No - not really.  I've worked so hard this year putting each seed into a wet paper towel in a plastic bag, letting it germinate warmly on a heating pad, then sowing each seed into a little pot and watching it grow and flourish.  

After a long weekend in the sun my little babies - started from seeds during the hopeful, cold, winter months - are cozy in their garden beds.  I planted 10 tomato plants, and will plant three in containers on the deck, I have four kinds of peppers with two of each plant (including bell peppers).  Strawberries (those I did not start myself).  Some zuchinni and acorn squash, but they will not be joined by their friend the cucumber.  All the cucumbers died.  Poor cukes.  They just couldn't take the sunshine after that gentle fluorescent lighting.  These have joined the lettuce, peas, spinach, and bean (yes only one has popped out and it's not looking hopeful for the others) already in the garden.  I'll take pictures soon to add and HOPE to have something to show for my efforts this year.  

I like how my daughter's "baby" and her blankee are in this picture.  She and I enjoyed laying on the floor and looking at the plants as they were growing, sometimes drawing pictures of their progress or just talking about them.  

Today I put away the lights and the heating pad.  As much as I would like to keep seeding I think the garden is full.