Carrots!

I don't know why but I have always been kind of scared of growing carrots.  I didn't think you COULD grow carrots in Texas.  A couple of falls ago, I planted a few and waited and waited but nothing came up.  About a year later I noticed I was getting a weed that looked just like a carrot top so I let it grow, curious to see what it would become.  A few months later I pulled it up and there was a healthy little carrot on the other end!  Ever since then I've tried harder to grow carrots.  And I don't know if it's because my soil has been improving or what but I've had more success!  This week I pulled up my finger carrots- I think I planted them in January or February.  (This is partly why I'm going to be better about this blog- so I can remember these things.)  Look how beautiful these babies are!!

They have a delicious, mild flavor.  I had them planted in front of one of my patio tomatoes.  Carrots do love tomatoes!

In other news, we had a good rain on Saturday and by Monday the squash and beans I planted last Thursday were peeking through.  What a difference rain makes!!

January Garden

And just because I want to remember what for next year, here's what my garden looked like at the end of January.  A few weeks later, we had lettuce coming out of our ears!!  I was giving it away.  By March it was covered in aphids.  I tried to wash them off but there were so many I had to throw most of it out.  I don't know if there's really anything I can do to deter them next year.  They didn't seem to be a huge problem until it started warming up more.  But I probably shouldn't plant lettuce in my far garden again next year.  I believe I planted oak leaf and a blend.  Also in this bed were broccoflower, carrots, beets and turnips.  The beets and turnips mostly just made tops.  The broccoflower was great but it took a really long time to grow.  The cauliflower was in my strawberry bed.  This was the first year I grew cauliflower that made a head.  I think it's because I fertilized it with an organic fertilizer a couple of times.  This plant actually made two heads!  Also, at this time in my strawberry bed my sugar snap peas were producing like crazy!