Sad but Happy

This weekend was both happy and sad. Due to the weather that came upon us suddenly, we quickly realized that our garden this year had its season's end. Once again we learned a lot. For example:

1. Just because a seed packet says it is one thing, does not mean that is e produce you are going to get. Mistakes do happen, especially when the seeds look the same. Instead of Walla Walla sweet onions, we got green onions.

2. You have to take into account not only location, but obstructions from neighbors when planting. We are going to have to talk to the neighbors about cutting back their trees if we are still here next year and want a garden. Not only did their trees provide too much shade over our garden because they have grown over our fence, but the roots have encroached into our garden as well.

3. This is our last year for any type of melons. While the plants look good and we got plenty of fruit, we just do not have a long enough growing season or the correct type of greenhouse to properly grow them until they are big and ripe.

4. We will definitely need to plant more grape tomatoes next year and every year. Little Man is a tomato freak. In fact when we ask him what he want to eat for lunch or dinner, he usually will declare "matoes" and then say "garden" and head for the backyard. He is really good at only picking the ripe ones, but hasn't quite grasped the concept of handling them carefully. We had many tomatoes that suffered death by squishing.

While I am sad to have the yumminess of garden fresh garden produce come to an end. I have to admit I am glad to be done with weeding and being overwhelmed with the excess produce. However, I am grateful to have another fairly successful harvest.

It will be interesting to see what next year brings. I don't think we will be here, so we will see if I continue Idaho gardening or get to learn how to garden in another climate and area. We will see.

in the meantime, I had lots of tomatoes to roast, jalapeños and green peppers to freeze, and corn to cook, cut and freeze. It was a busy weekend!