A Tree for Texans

Planting trees in Texas isn't always a sure bet. We get so much wind, heat and sometimes snow that the beautiful flowering trees you see in the North (you lucky cherry blossom owners!) just can't cut it in Texas climate.

A friend introduced us to the Texas Lilac (also known as Vitex or Chaste Tree) and we are loving it. We planted it in September and it's already doubled in size and bloomed like crazy. We love it.


And so do the bees, apparently.

My Little (BIG) Backyard Garden

I am floored by how quickly my garden has grown! Here's a picture of what it looks like today:

And what it looked like the day I planted - just SIX WEEKS ago!

I'm thrilled. To be honest, I kind of figured it was a toss up whether or not anything would take hold. But look at these beauties:


Squash blossoms!


We've only had one hiccup, which was an infestation of spider mites that devoured one whole spinach plant and part of my basil. A home remedy of 2 quarts water mixed with 1 T vegetable oil and a few drops of dish detergent sprayed at dusk seems to have cleared it up though. {fingers crossed} The bugs were annoying, but my 2 year-old has had an absolute blast getting to take a spray bottle to the garden every evening!

Have you planted yet? It's not too late! And don't forget to plant sweet basil so you can try this recipe!

First Fruits

My little backyard garden is starting to earn its keep. I harvested my very first crop (can you call it a crop if it barely fills one plate?) this week. Spinach and sweet basil.

The tomatoes look like they'll be next, but I'm pulling for the squash and zucchini.

How My Backyard Garden Grows

Hmm...I may have bitten off more than I can chew (figuratively and literally) with this much seed!
I gave you a teaser here about what my husband and I have been building in our backyard. I'm so happy to say that it's finally finished! Using old weathered fence posts we had on hand, my husband crafted a 1' x4'x10' raised bed garden for us! I'm beyond thrilled.

I'm trying to focus on keeping this garden chemical-free so instead of using weed/grass killer we laid out layers of newspaper before piling on a yard and a half of premium composted soil mix. (From what I understand, gardening is all about the dirt)
I've spent a lot of time sketching and charting and thinking through where every single seed and transplant should go. I thought it may be a little overkill at the time, but once I got to planting, this little map was vital to keeping my sanity. I referenced it with the beginning of each row, and later it helped me remember where I put everything. And I'll keep the map for reference next year so I'll know how to rotate my crops. Don't forget to add a compass to your map!
As a child, I remember watching my dad grow a half acre worth of crops in our backyard. We lived out in the country (not hard to do in Texas) and had acres and acres of land around us. I despised the chores I had as a result of that garden, which was to pick off (by hand!) the tomato worms and okra bugs (I still shiver thinking about it). But as I look back on those years, some of my favorite childhood memories are found working those rows and rows of crops.

I'll be sure to share pictures and tips with you as I discover along the way. For now, I'm loving working alongside my two-year-old to move dirt, create rows, sow seeds and water plants. I think we're going to love this new little family hobby.

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