You Rebel, You

I don't follow rules in the garden.  I ignore recommendations for spacing, I don't use sprays (organic or not), I water when I feel like it.

Most of the time it works, like my lovely dead tree planters.

My willingness to welcome garden volunteers has brought a few nice surprises.

Volunteer from the compost. Maybe a pumpkin?  Not sure, but I'm keeping it.

Appreciation for quirky rather than conventional garden tools.

Leaning tower of tomatoes.  These were 33 cent seedlings I bought late in May, so they're a little behind. Do you like our makeshift support system?

Planting outside the normal growing seasons...

The giant sunflower is the result of two seeds Katie planted in January.  They popped up and survived a ton of snow and freezing temps, although their growth was stunted until a few weeks ago.  The corn and other sunflowers have to catch up.

But sometimes I take risks that maybe aren't the smartest.  

Yes, I planted tomatoes in the same place as last year.  Why?  Because the spot I had chosen for 2013 is very close to the house, and we're crossing our fingers for some work to be done there.  I'd rather sacrifice the sunflowers than tomatoes.

What are the risks?  Disease and pests might have settled in last season.  We've already dealt with blight from all the wet conditions in late spring, so it turns out the "danger" was real.  However, I've just harvested a few small tomatoes, so maybe we'll be all right.  I made sure to plant both hybrid and heirloom varieties in hopes of tricking the bad bugs of summer.

Our first tomato along with tiny carrots.

I think the yard keeps getting better and better...and more eclectic despite my urge to buck the rules.  Will I have a crop to rival the success of 2012?  Who cares?!