Gardening: Stage 3

Gardening: Stage 3

New Leaves & New Plants!!

SUNFLOWERS: They've grown to about 2.5 inches... with a total of 4 leaves. The girls are really into investigating all aspects of this project. So I had them help me describe the color, count the leaves, water them, and help measure!

ZINNIAS: Linnea & Signe took turns calling out how big they thought their flowers are getting and how many leaves each sprout has. Of course that led to a battle of 'No mine are bigger' and 'No mine have 4 leaves'... it was total toddler drama. Love it!

Today we hit up Menards and the Park Ridge Farmers Market. If, local friends, you haven't been you should head over any saturday this summer to get fresh fruits and veggies, CSA opportunities to have produce delivered to you year round, Organic products, kid friendly activities, food booths and more! YUM! we got an awesome salsa from TOMATO MOUNTAIN Organics... truly fabulous and I'm hoping to figure out the recipe on my own! I think the tomatillos are the secret! I've heard that if you boil them down before adding to salsa pureed its the key. I'll let you know when I've had a chance to try it out.

We bought our gardening tools, weed controlling fabric (this better work - I'm definitely not weeding), and some nutritious dirt @ Menards.

At the farmers market we picked up the following:

2 Cherry tomato plants

1 Big Bob tomato Hybrids (not sure on that name)

6 basil plants (hello pesto!) (whom of you my local friends are going to want to get basil from me? I think I'll have plenty)

Cilantro

Oregano

Parsley

Cucumbers

1 Red Pepper plant

1 Green Pepper plant

** More could be added... we'll see after we figure out our space better!

So here are the before pictures... and as you can see the toddlers for whom we started this "Project Learn How Plants Grow" are totally helping (POOLSIDE). :)