Herbs and Tomatoes on the Patio

Things are coming along at the FGD. We haven't had a good rain in a week or so. Memorial Day Weekend came and went. Given the nature of this blog and the nature of Victory Gardens in general Memorial Day is on of the quintessential Victory Garden holidays.

I was thinking about our soldiers a great deal this weekend. This blog is called Food Gardens for Defense which is a synonym for Victory Gardens. According to wikipedia these Victory Gardens are "to reduce the pressure on the public food supply brought on by the war effort" during WWII. I want to document a years planting and harvesting and somehow relate it to the things that are going on around me in the world. I have not done anything to relate this blog to America's War in Iraq. This weekend really made me think about the our troops. Ten troops died in Iraq on Memorial Day alone. http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=3221050&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312

It is interesting to me that during the Second World War this notion of a Victory Garden, and rationing seemed so integral to the War Effort. Wikipedia states that 40% of the vegetable produce consumed in the nation came from home gardeners. The idea is that the War Department could buy produce from commercial growers more cheaply. I wonder what would happen if people in this country adopted that attitude today, and grew their own Tomatoes, Oregano, Parsley and Chives on their patios.

Would it even make a difference? Would the war efforts be adversely affected. I've heard people talk about "boycotting" gas for a day. I have heard that these boycotts don't make a difference. If you used the Victory Garden logic wouldn't it benefit the War effort if people bought less gas. The DoD could buy the gas for less.

Iris all around

Since Iris is the Greek goddess for the Messenger of Love, her sacredflower is considered the symbol of communication and messages. Greek men would often plant an iris on the graves of their beloved women as a tribute to the goddess Iris, whose duty it was to take the souls of women to the Elysian fields. - Hana No Monogatari: The Stories of Flowers

(excerpt from http://www.gardendigest.com/flowers.htm)

I finally got around to watching this week's Victory Garden. It was all about Iris. For me the Iris is the symbol that summer is right around the corner. Iris means that your tomatoes should be in the ground. I think they are my favorite flower. The main entrance to the University where I work was closed today so I parked all the way across campus. It was an absolutely wonderful May Day. As I made my was across Campus I noticed patches of beautiful yellow flowers along the pond. Closer inspection made it clear I was looking at Iris pseudacorus L. – Yellow Iris. I am so getting some of these for a perennial border in the garden next year. I've been thinking about a small water feature and the yellow would be perfect.

Well on its Way

"Gardening is an exercise in optimism." Anonymous


The weather here in south Jersey has taken a turn for the hot. For me this mean the mosquitos are out at night, the grass is growing out of control , and the cold frame is too hot a place for the lettuce so the lid comes up.



I lost one green pepper plant because I was away last weekend. Everything in the Garden needed weeding and water. As I look at the onions I fear that the ones I buried too deep will bolt before they let the onion grow in the ground.