Like a girl fresh into college, this year we tried a few new things (what a great first line eh?).  One of those new things – eggplant.  When we moved into our first home, there were some already growing, but hell if we knew what to do with them.  So we gave them away, and never really thought of them agian.  Well this year we picked one up that was on “clearance” – it is always funny to talk about plants on “clearance” but still – we think we are saving the lil guys when we pick them up.  Or at least that is what we tell ourselves anyhow.  Any reason to get a new plant eh?

So with eggplant planted – we sat and waited.  And waited.  And so on.

Before long we noticed some purple blooms and hoped our lil bee friends would do their part.

I guess they did, because soon enough – a baby eggplant had started to develop. 

How cool eh?  So with little to no effort – we were eatin’ eggplant parm and lovin’ life. 

We did have a little bit of help though – did consult a few online buds and used a Eggplant Guide the first go ’round.  But who doesn’t need a little help their first time?  “That’s what she said”.  Too easy.

What new things did you try this year in the garden?  We had a few others, beans are going now – and we had very little experience growing beans in the past.  But… that is the glory of gardening – trying new things each year… am I right?

Tags: Container Gardening, Fall Gardening, Food, Gardening, Growing Eggplants, Organic Gardening, Pictures, raised beds by James
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Last year we decided we needed to find a “green” fertilizer or organic fertilizer – whatever you want to call it.   We found lots of options, including (but not limited to):

Fish emulsion

Seaweed emulsion

Granule based fertilizer mixtures

Manure

Vermicompost tea

Compost tea

And the list goes on and on…

While looking, we came across what ended up being our final choice.  A product called Great Big Plants (or GBP as we like to call it).  Great Big Plants is a compost concentrate that you add when you watering (mix it into your watering can) – and it gives your plants a nice kick in the backside.

We used it last year, but not consistently – this year we just started with it (we have been busy ok!) and plan to keep it consistent from here on out.  It is so easy to use, I mean you just add it to your watering can (that sounds so old school) and apply it to the base of the plant.  Done.

Then you can sit back, drink a cold one and field questions from your friends when they can’t believe your GREAT BIG PLANTS.  See how I worked that in?  Yeah… I have been working on that for a week.  haha  No, but really a great  product for those that maybe can’t do a compost bin/heap.  This is like having a compost bin… in a bottle.  Trust us.

So if you have a minute, and want to read more about Great Big Plants – here is a link to their website…

Visit Great Big Plants

Tell them we sent you, or don’t… doesn’t really matter.  They have tons of info to read and several different versions of the compost concentrate – so check ‘em all out.

Tags: Container Gardening, Gardening, Gardening Tips, Growing Garlic, Growing Okra, Growing Onions, Growing Peppers, Growing Potatoes, Growing Strawberries, Growing Tomatoes, Growing Watermelons, Living Green, Organic Fertilizer, Organic Gardening, Recession Gardening, raised beds by James
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Check out the pepper on the top of this plant (in the picture below)…

Those are my kind of peppers.  The ones that start going every which way and look like lil blobs of green.  I guess it is like those cracked tomatoes, and how much better they are than those slick coated factory-made-looking ones.  Or maybe it is just me.  Is it?

Anyone have some off-the-wall favorites when it comes to their own veggies?

Come on… we know you do.  Don’t be shy.

Tags: Container Gardening, Cooking, Drunk, Eating At Home, Food, Gardening, Gardening Tips, Getting Deep, Growing Peppers, Growing Tomatoes, Organic Gardening, Pictures, Recession Gardening, Recipes, raised beds by James
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