A few months ago, I found an old gardening journal in a box of junk from my previous life. The gardening journal was a record of my botanical experiments in Zone 7, a far more forgiving environment than Zone 4 where I'm currently located. It was fascinating to read what I was doing on March 20, 1998.
- Sprayed roses with fungicide
- Transplanted dianthus
- Moved white butterfly bush
- Observed starts of peonies, crocus, hyacinths and daffodils
- Waiting for delivery of 5 more butterfly bushes, 6 hosta varieties
- Placing an order for 450 fall bulbs (I hope I canceled that since I left for Minnesota in August 1998)
Tucked inside the journal was several letters from my Uncle Wandell and his wife Aunt Betty and my Aunt Gwen. Wandell and Gwen were my mother's older siblings, and both have passed away in the last four years. I maintained a regular correspondence with them over the years, much of it written. If I awoke to the house on fire one night, those letters would be on the short list of items I would grab on my way out.
Uncle Wandell was a Master Gardener and thrilled that his young niece had taken up the hobby as well. When I wrote to him asking advice, he responded with a letter (printed on perforated sheets of paper from an old dot matrix printer) full of tips and a pencil written plan of his vegetable garden.
I was so flattered that he shared his intricate plan and notes with me. As much as I would love to plant a large vegetable garden, I have a south facing house. For those of you not horticulturally minded, that means my front yard gets all the sun. I'm not about to plant rows of corn next to the spirea and streetlights. I do get enough sun in the backyard to put up some large pots for tomatoes and jalapenos, as well as plenty of fresh herbs. It's so hard to find tomatoes that aren't anemic and jalapenos with heat at the grocery, regardless of the season. I want to make a robust pico de gallo this summer that's got some kick.
Pico De Gallo
1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, seeded, chopped
3/4 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 C fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons minced seeded jalapeño (about 2 medium)
1 garlic clove, minced
Combine all ingredients and allow to mellow for one hour prior to serving.
