One of the many things I miss from the US is the variety of vegetables. I won’t go too deep into the economics of food here. Let’s just say the plain and simple is Argentines eat meat and not too many veggies. We have a vegetable store on every block but they carry basics; lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, onions, peppers, eggplant, and a light green zucchini. On occasion, there will be mushrooms and butternut squash.

Adding to the lack of vegetable demand, the vegetable stores are true “farm to table” vendors. If it isn’t in season or grown nearby, it ain’t on the shelves. This is a good thing but it is very limiting.

Many years ago, I decided to start growing my own food. I would buy seeds when I was in the states and then smuggle them back to Argentina. I have tried a for a few years in growing a garden from seed, until this year, I wasn’t successful.

I’m a serial plant killer. I think it is genetic because my mom is a world famous killer of plants. We both killed ficus trees with ease. And, Cacti never have a chance with us. I’m not sure what it is that prevents me (or my mom) from growing anything. We’re both very nurturing and we do care for the plants. They just don’t make it.

This year I was determined to grow vegetables. My determination was strengthened by speaking with a co-worker about her garden and seeing my friends gardens on FB. I wanted to grow all my food so we would never have to buy from the store EVER again!

The last time I was in the US, I bought a packet of seeds from Amazon, “Non GMO Heirloom Vegetable Seeds Survival Garden 40 Variety Pack”. It had everything and then some. It came with a booklet that gave me the full instructions for each seed; how to germinate, grow (amount of water and sunlight), and how to save the seeds for the next growing season. I was so determined to break my title as serial plant killer, I actually sat down and read the instructions.

At first, I was successful! As you can see from these photos;

I was so excited! I had visions of having a cornucopia of veggies. I thought I’d be giving some to my neighbors because I couldn’t eat them all.

Once the warmer weather was consistent, I moved my sprouts to our roof deck where they would enjoy plentiful sun and rich soil. I planted the sprouts in the planters from previous failed attempts to grow veggies and flowers. Rodrigo made a big planter box thing for me too. I was so proud.

In moving the sprouts to their new homes, there were several crops that didn’t make it. My beans were dug up by Bleu. I wasn’t aware that the vacant planter where I planted the beans was his litter box. My bad! Then the carrots died, the dogs seemed to enjoy their tops. The eggplant had a chance but I guess they were planted in yet another Bleu litter box. I also tried to plant corn and sunflowers in a space that is in front of my office window. I thought at the very least I’ll get to see a few birds pecking at my crops. NOPE! The dogs found the space to be ideal for them to dig a hole and turn it into a doggie den.

So what am I left with? Well, that’s the other fun part. Either I did a bad job at tagging the germinating seeds, or the seed company labeled the seeds wrong. What I thought would be summer squash turned out to be zucchini. The arugula seems to be brussel sprouts, but I’m not sure. What I originally thought was another type of bean seems to be a vine like arugula. My red cabbage is maybe red kale or something like it. I have no idea when my cauliflower will ever produce something or maybe it is not cauliflower. The cherry tomatoes, so sad, I have one strong brave tomato. Since I took these photos, the 3 tomato plants have met their maker. The other challenge is I’ve been dropping seeds from peppers and other veggies I’ve purchased. They are starting to sprout in the planter box. The challenge is I’m not sure if the seedlings are actual vegetables or weeds. I will have to wait and see if and when they grow.

What I will say is I have a new appreciation for farmers. I started this process in July, the southern hemisphere’s version of March. It is now January. I have eaten a few leafs of lettuce, 2 zucchini’s and some of the vine arugula. My zucchini grows to two inches long and then dies on the vine. All the other stuff has yet to produce anything. This growing stuff takes a long time! There is so much work to get just a few “fruits” of your labor.

Life, Death, Rebirth

I replanted a few things in one of Bleu’s litter box. Apparently he doesn’t mess with succulents. Oddly they were on their last leg. When I moved them, they started to liven up.

Here are a few plants that came with the house and I haven’t killed. I attribute their longevity to leaving their care to Rodrigo.

Here’s a little shout out to those that tried but didn’t make it.