So I suppose I need to do some more research as to what the perfect soil mix is for my garden. I think that I need more peat and some lime mixed in. My soil is very heavy, I was thinking the peat to make the garden soil loamy, my partner is going to put the grass clippings and leaves in it. I have been looking online and they do recommend this. I am aware that it will take a few years to have the perfect soil that my plants are happy with. I guess I expected everything to go perfect this year and for me to have a bounty of every type of vegetable that I could ever imagine. My cucumbers are not doing well at all, my squash rots before it even gets big. This is all a learning experience and I just have time to educate myself and get my garden to where I would like it to be.

On the other hand I felt like I was doing something wrong because my tomatoes are still green, after reading a few forums I have discovered that a lot of other gardeners still have green tomatoes. One thing that having a garden has taught me is patience, I have to be patient and realize that waiting will make harvesting and eating what I have grown that much more rewarding. With my garden I have learned about growing and I have learned about myself.

I made two topiaries today I found some plants on sale and figured I would give it a try. I think that they came out really nice. I am going to put them on either side of our mantle. I really like making something beautiful (or at least I think so) out of something that started out not looking so good.

When I got home today I went outside and put grass clippings down in the pathways between my rows in the garden. I also put some under my yellow crookneck squash. My peppers have little babies on them but nothing more. I wish they would grow. This is all a learning experience. I will learn and grow and know how to change what I do to have my garden thrive like I would love it to. Maybe I am being too eager. We'll see.

Squishy squash...Yellow Crookneck Squash that is... I was so excited to find out that my yellow crookneck squash had a baby squash on it. I had read the descriptions of this buttery great flavored squash, and I have the perfect recipe for squash casserole. I saw this baby squash and made everyone come out to the garden to view the how cute it really looked and to hopefully make their mouths water at the though of mixing this squash with cream and cheese and breadcrumbs. A few weeks later I was so devistated when I saw it's little end looking all shriveled and brown. I plucked it off of the vine and threw it over the fence into the neighbors yard. This brown ended squash was going to be the runt of the litter, it was going to be the last one that didn't produce....NOPE. Yesterday I looked at another squash and it was all shriveled and brown too!! What had happened? I searched online and I think that I found what it is Choanephora Cucurbitarum :
Symptoms:Soft rotting fungus enters fruit from blossom end, rapidly developing a fluffy mass of fruiting bodies.
Control:Cultural practices that reduce fruit contact with soil, or splashing of infected soil onto fruit are beneficial. Fungicide sprays may be required.

Mine did not have the fuzz on it but I don't know what could have happened? Tomorrow I am going to try and put grass clippings underneath my squash plants and apply some lime around the ground. Hopefully I will get to make the mouthwatering casserole that I have been looking forward to.

http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=content&id=recipe3714

On Wednesday I made dinner, went for a walk, and decided to fertilizw that I should water my garden in the wee hours of the morning but I can not bring myself to wake up so early in the morning. My horoscope yesterday was a good one, "Have some hidden talents? Perhaps it's time to share them with the world at large. Think about taking your verbal stylings to an open mic night, sign up for an art fair in your neighborhood or show your best friend your designs." The wheels were turning in my head before I read this but after reading this they started turning even more. What am I going to do to express all that I want to share? I talked about writing a cookbook, but I do not want to limit myself to just cooking. I want to share more than that, I want to share some tips on gardening what worked for me and what hasn't. I would also like to share ideas based on some of my likes entertaining (which i need more experience at). I have been told that I should open a restaurant. I think that would be a great idea and I would love it but I do not want to limit myself to a restaurant. I would love to do more than that. I would love to learn, teach, share, and just spread my love for everything that I find joy in.

I have decided this morning on my hour drive that I want more flowers. Earlier this year I started my seedlings in my basement under a grow light. I had just one grow light and a tray and a half of seedlings. Next year I will plant twice the amount of herbs, I want to grow heirloom tomatoes, and flowers. I don't know what types of flowers that I will plant, I am becoming a gardener I can tell because the thought of planting these seeds next year makes me so excited!

I got home yesterday and went a little crazy pruning everything! I pruned things that I am not sure that you are suppose to print. I pruned my tomatoes, I pruned my yellow crookneck squash, I pruned my peppers. I think I am just a little too eager for my garden to start producing. I actually did see a tiny baby pepper yesterday. I think it finally hit me yesterday that I don't think I will be getting any cucumbers out of my crop. The leaves are all cupped up and I think I can attribute that to possible Cucumber mosaic Virus. It is saddening because I was planning on making cucumbers.
My tomatoes are coming along great and everything else is moving slowly but surely. I had friends over for dinner on Sunday and we had great pesto. It was also a joy to be able to go outside and pick 10 cups of basil, a few sprigs of rosemary, thyme, sage, and tarragon. The dinner was great and so were all of the wonderful herbs.

Hello Everyone,

My name is Louis J. Gastelum and I am a new gardener. I am originally from Phoenix, Arizona but, now I live in Youngstown, Ohio. Being from Arizona and young I really did not have the resources to create a garden of my own. We had grass for about a month but we forgot to water it for two days and it burned up and died. I also once tried to start a garden and till up the soil and the dry hard earth broke my spade.

When my partner and I moved to Ohio and purchased our home I was excited about all of the possibilities of gardening. I did a little research and installed a grow light in the basement. I planted the seeds and checked them everyday to see if there was anything new. I was so excited to see the little sprouts. My partner and I tilled the soil, purchased compost, made rows and planted veggies and fruit.

I love gardening, I love learning and I love that people are starting to ask me questions now. I love sharing from my garden. I have a goal of becoming an educator, I would love to teach cooking, gardening, arts, and anything creative. If I do not know how to do something I teach myself. I learned to can, embroider, cook, garden, paint, and I plan on continuing to learn every day.

Thank you for teaching and learning with me,
Louis J. Gastelum