Cooking with Homegrown Vegetables

I wish! This is my first attempt at a vegetable and fruit garden. I must admit that our garden and any other plants growing in our yard are "late-bloomers." It seems like everyone's plants are growing like crazy. I am hoping this is due to our plants being newer and needing to be established. Furthermore, the zoo in our yard (deer, squirrels, rabbits, maybe even a groundhog, and the usual pests/insects you find outside) doesn't help to promote growth.

My dream is a huge, lush, ever-bearing garden where I can pick fruits and vegetables to enjoy every day.

My prayer is at least a few full-grown pieces to show for all the work I put into the garden.

My reality is 1" tall cucumber and pepper sprouts, flowers falling off plants before they produce any fruits, blight on tomatoes, and probably enough bugs to wipe out everything in the garden in 1 day.

P.S. The marigolds are for preventing small creatures from getting into the garden. I hope they're doing something for the garden.

JUNE 26, 2010:












JULY 17, 2010:
As you can see, the honeydew (center of the garden) is starting to take over.  The zucchini (top right of center), squash (top right), and spaghetti squash (bottom right of center) are steadily coming along.  Dill (bottom right) and peppers (bottom left) are very slowly growing.  The cucumbers (top left) have bit the dust.  One cucumber plant completely dried up and I pulled it out.  In it's place, I move over one of the smaller honeydrew plants.