People over on X have really taken an interest in my garden this year. I’ve been getting a steady stream of DMs and comments asking how the foodscape’s coming along. So—how does my garden grow?
Honestly? Better than I ever imagined.
Over the past few months, I’ve added all kinds of new veggies—cherry tomatoes, dill, jalapeños, parsley, bell peppers, even some tiny pumpkins. The garden’s starting to feel less like an experiment and more like its own little ecosystem.
The vegetables and herbs are tucked in right alongside the flowers, which I’ve expanded too—potted vincas, peach knockout roses, pincushion flowers, marigolds, and a few more phlox for good measure. It’s a cheerful, slightly wild mix—and I kind of love it that way.
Early on, a few folks raised concerns about the pine straw mulch making the soil too acidic—and they weren’t wrong. Some of the plants struggled at first. But I amended the soil with a bit of organic lime, and that seems to have done the trick. The tomatoes and jalapeños are thriving.
Others warned that my tomato plants were too close together, but I’ve kept them trimmed, caged, and tied back—and so far, no issues.
That’s not to say it’s all been smooth sailing. The blackberry bush didn’t produce quite as much as I’d hoped, though I was grateful for the pint we did get. My bell peppers have shown no signs of flowering yet. And one rogue hornworm took out several pepper plants before I caught him and gave him a swift end.
Still, for a first real go at foodscaping, I would’ve expected more than a few setbacks—but nope. So far, I’ve harvested over a dozen jalapeños and a good handful of tomatoes.
And the herbs? I’ve got more than I know what to do with. Right now, bundles of lemon thyme and Italian oregano are hanging to dry around the kitchen, filling the house with the scent of summer.
With every harvest, I find myself wishing I’d started this years ago. I didn’t realize how much I missed having a garden to putter around in. These days, I’m out there more and more—just checking on what’s blooming, what’s ripening, what’s quietly coming to life.
So to everyone who’s followed along—thank you. I’ll keep the updates coming. And if you’ve got any tips (or favorite recipes for all these jalapeños), send them my way! 😉
