by

Growing Peas and Carrots

Not only did I grow up eating peas and carrots, but I liked them, too. It will be nice growing our own crop this year, assuming the crafty squirrels let them grow.

grey squirrel

Peas:

Last week I mentioned hedging my bets by starting a few seeds indoors.  Once I consulted the seed packet I decided to direct-sow.  I soaked half the seeds in water for 48 hours, then planted them directly outdoors. I saved the rest of the seed packet to replenish the inevitable casualties.

Looking left and right for squirrels, I surreptitiously pushed several seeds into the soil around the arbor. I planted the rest amongst the still-flowering annuals. With luck, they’ll all come up and produce lovely green vines along both sides of the sidewalk.

Carrots:

I have a lot of faith in the success of the carrots, since we planted starts instead of seeds.  I say ‘we’ because this year I had help from several of Jazzy’s day care children next door. The older kids planted two each;  I filled in later with the rest. Planting was fun, but the real hit: watering cans.  I never met a youngster that didn’t like water.

watering

Watering

I think they’ll get a kick out of watching the carrots grow. I’ve added a carrot countdown in the sidebar to the right so we have a general idea of harvest day. Hopefully each young gardener grows at least one or two carrots to take home.

Stay tuned!

planting carrots

Little hands planting carrots

planting carrots from cell packs

Flip, tap, squeeze and release

21 thoughts on “Growing Peas and Carrots”

  2. I love peas and carrots, I love that voting feature too and further there is nothing – NO-THING – like veges fresh from your very own garden !! Good luck with it all – you will have to put Mouse onto those pesky squirrels if they come stealing ….

    Like

    Reply

    • Thank you, Pauline. I think the squirrels outnumber Mighty Mouse. I’ve been watching four at a time along the back fence. Fall is in the air. My neighbor feeds them peanuts, which they bring to my yard and bury in a few spots along the fence and under the lawn. They thumb their noses at the cats. LOL

      Agreed. Fresh produce is the best.

      Like

      Reply

        • I wrote a lengthy comment yesterday and then WordPress ate it.

          Those squirrels would have you believe that statement is true, but alas, the foragers continue to forage. They receive piles of peanuts next door and they have the waistlines to prove it. They continue to dig for more, then hide them elsewhere for a later date.

          I know they’re considered pests, and they do cause all manner of problems, including knocking out power to entire neighborhoods when they chew on high tension wires. One final act of mischief I suppose. I think, too, that like all of us, they need a varied diet. They like to eat my young pumpkin vines, seeds, nuts, bulbs and the like. Unfortunately they don’t like eating aphids, scale, or squash bugs.

          You make me smile, Pauline.

          Like

          Reply

  5. I voted for peas and carrots and I remember them being a staple at dinner time. Of course they were (gasp) out of a can. I don’t know why we didn’t buy frozen vegetables, we had a freezer the size of a Cadillac. I’m sure it sucked power like mad too. Over the summer we had stuff from my Grandpa’s garden though.
    I’ve said this before, you have a great neighbourhood. Having fun in the garden with the daycare kids, it’s so you! I bet they loved being so hands-on and helpful. I know your little squirrels are not exactly helpful in any way, but dang, I just love watching them. Sorry, but that little ‘menace’ is ADORABLE. Your carrot starters look great, I can already see them on the table 😀

    Like

    Reply

    • Yes! Canned foods were a staple back then. I wondered if the frozen either wasn’t readily available in Canada, or just too expensive. I don’t remember my mom buying frozen vegetables until the early 1970’s. Here’s an interesting link: http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blfrfood.htm

      We too had fresh garden produce from Dad’s garden, but ate canned most of the year.

      Thanks for your kind words regarding the neighborhood kids. It still amazes me that we found a street with so many involved families.

      I agree with you: the squirrels are pretty darn cute.

      Like

      Reply

      • Thank you for the link to Mr Birdseye’s cleverness hon. That was really interesting. I wish we were better at recycling back then, imagine all those cans are underground. Thank goodness we’re doing better in that regard today. Also, the plastic bag that frozen veggies are sold in can be easily recycled too, hooray!

        Like

        Reply

  6. How lucky those kids are to experience planting. That came very late in life for me. I had no idea that veggies came from anywhere but a can. Won’t eat them that way now. Fresh or lightly steamed for me. Frozen if necessary. Peanuts can seed in the yard and grow 10 ft. deep. I spent weeks trying to dig up peanut plants the squirrels planted after neighbors were so generous with them. I’ll keep my fingers crosses the the peas and carrots win. 🙂

    Like

    Reply

    • Thank you, Marlene. They were pretty excited about it and one girl in particular, really amazed that they would grow into carrots. I sure have a lot riding on this batch of carrots. Stay tuned.

      I’ve often wondered why the peanuts don’t grow, but read that our climate doesn’t suit them. I find them buried all over the yard,but never see them ‘take.’ Probably a good thing!

      Thanks for your support.

      And yes…veggies came from a can for us, too.

      Like

      Reply

  7. Pingback: Carrot Countdown | gardeningnirvana

Please join the conversation by leaving a comment, below.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.