tomatoes

I've never fertilized.

I've never watered by hand.

I forgot to put up tomato cages.

I've completely ignored my garden.

And still, I get this:

handsome jalapenos.

Basil that I planted from one of those "living herb" packages you buy at the grocery store. All of the leaves were stripped off this plant one month ago when I planted it, and I've taken leaves off several times since. And still, it grows....

Rosemary. This plant has grown and grown and grown. And I love rosemary.

Tomatoes. I planted 4 little plants a few months ago--beefstake, cherry, roma, and celebrity. One of them didn't make it, but the other three exploded. I had to take out the cherry tomato plant because I just couldn't eat them fast enough. And they were crowding out the other tomato plants (whose fruit I really did want to eat).

It looks like a jungle, doesn't it? The plants are really a mess, but the tomatoes are sooooo delish. We've had salsa, homemade tomato soup, tomato mozzarella salad, and chicken rice and black bean salad. And still, we can't keep up with these tomatoes. And the romas haven't even gone red yet. 

Not pictured is my greek oregano (that makes the most amazing souvlaki), my other pepper plant, and my peach tree (that has one lone peach on it this year). 

Since our yard is all front yard, I really struggled with if/how to have a vegetable and fruit garden. I really wanted to give it a shot, but was really nervous because I've killed every thing I've ever grown. This year was a real confidence booster because I've succeed and not really done anything. Wahoo!

I'm already jazzed for next year. I still don't have room to grow beans, corn, or squash. But I can do tomatoes, peppers, and herbs. And that tickles my toes. 

p.s. I'm reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle right now. Anyone else read it? Did it change your life?