Winding up a lazy gardener

It occurred to me this morning that I'm a very lazy gardener. I love the idea of fresh veggies throughout most of the year, but the actual implementation of such a garden - especially getting a head start like many do and starting seeds indoors x-number of days prior to average last frost date (whenever THAT is!) - is confusing and overwhelming and so I procrastinate. Then comes the constant vigilance against the five kabillion weeds we find sprouting, and it goes from a late-but-sweetly-planted vegetable garden to something akin to an abandoned city lot; we go in from time to time to mill around or steal things we might find there (beans, broccoli, pickling cucumbers), but otherwise it lays there by itself, alone, becoming more forlorn-looking as the days go by.

Today is finally planting day. Yes, we're planting REALLY late, but today the day I admit my laziness and strive to do it differently. The "who" and "where" of both our gardens is vaguely sketched out in my head. The quick list is:

• Tomatoes
• Corn
  Pole beans
• Brussel sprouts (I know...my family is snorting in disbelief right now)
• Pickling cucumbers
• Swiss chard
• Beets (try, try again!)
• Cauliflower (ditto!)
• Radishes (maybe)
• Squash ("Helga" somebody and "Carnival", dontated by friends)
• Zucchini (planting these and squash while preventing cross-pollination will be a challenge)
• Peppers
• Sugar pumpkins
• Onions
• Basil
• Dill

I aim to start my rehabbed life as a more deliberate gardener by planting in July/August for fall and winter crops, too:

• Broccoli
• Lettuce
• Peas
• Kale
• Parsnips (I've never had one but have been told I'd like them...and I'm not ready to commit to potatoes yet)
• Garlic

Big sigh...I'm ready to commit to staying on top of the weeding this year, especially in the big garden. We didn't thin our crops last year (more is better, right? Wrong.); and I vow to change that this time. I'm even going to push for using the soaker hoses left behind by previous homeowners this year to do our part in conserving ground water AND, hopefully, not encourage so many weeds to grow this time!

Excitement, trepidation, willingness and eagerness abound. Stay tuned!