They Make it Look so Easy…

Justin and Eyry have been busy tending their garden, mostly by watching it grow. 🙂  You remember them, don’t you?  The creative couple with the backyard garden and veggie washing station?  Yes, love that idea.  Well, they are doing quite well, as you can see.

Sugar peas, corn, tomatoes, squash, cucumber, pumpkin, garlic and of course, marigolds.  Now you may think those marigolds are there to make the garden look pretty–which they do–but they serve a dual purpose as insect repellent.  Yep.  Below the ground they ward off pesky nematodes by excreting a chemical toxic to the microscopic pests.  Above ground they’re said to repel squash bugs, tomato hornworms, whiteflies and some beetles.  I do love a multi-tasker!

And I’m for anything that makes my garden experience more enjoyable, from aesthetics to practical pest control.  Justin and Eyry are also utilizing good companion planting practices, with their peas and corn close together. Their squash is nearby, as well.

While the corn could provide a nice climbing structure for the peas, they don’t need it in this case, because Justin and Eyry have installed a lovely string line–and in pink, no less!  And since everything is progressing so nicely, you know the first thought in a gardener’s head.

Expand!  Yes, we need more garden space so we can grow more vegetables!  Justin is talking about expanding the garden from its corner within the fence, clear over to his well. 

I do love that about gardeners.  I for one expand my garden almost every season.  (Hubby loves that part.)  It just seems there’s something more I want to grow, I want to grow more of what I have…  Call it my healthy addiction, but now that my garden is manageable and the kids don’t declare mutiny, all is right with the world. 

You can see from the picture above that an expansion will mean more sun in their case.  A good thing, although the orignal reason for locating the garden in the corner, was because the grass was greenest there–something to do with that swamp land behind him, I believe. 🙂 

Either way, watch for BIG updates from Justin and Eyry come spring.  And take a second look at your backyard.  You may want to join in the fun!