In late winter we huddled around a Baker Creek seed catalogue and considered each variety. They ordered whatever struck their fancy. At sowing time they pushed the seeds into whatever corner of the raised bed felt right–their harried mama was in full surrender mode and did not pay attention to bush versus climber, big versus little, high versus low. The result?
Jungle. I mean serious jungle chaos.
Big Apple gourds, Snow Cap beans and Boothby’s Blonde cukes (I think–did I mention we didn’t mark anything?) are taking over my fence. His melons are attacking her carrots. The tri-sticked teepee is maxed out and Good Mother Stallard bean tendrils wave around in the air above, disappointed.
The other bed is overflowing with lettuce and…uh…cukes, I think. I have a big Genovese basil plant. The Holy Basil I grew from seed is coming to life finally, I will use it to make a healing tea with fresh turmeric and ginger. Last week I had to perch on the back edge of the raised bed and hog tie the whateveritis to the fence to keep it from smothering the cilantro. I felt the eyes of neighbors, who already think I am crazy, bore into my flailing body as I struggled with the twine and the spiky stalks. It will all be worth in when we cut into the first melon, right?