First known picture of Michael Phelps

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?

With our garden in full swing, I've had tomatoes, squash, zucchini and jalapeño peppers coming out my ears. When we planted the garden, I insisted on lots of tomato plants so that I could can them and use them throughout the winter for chili and soups.

Here is what I've learned about gardening/canning:
-14 tomato plants is insane. 4 would have been plenty.
-8 jalapeño plants is insane. 1 would have been plenty.
- 14 squash and zucchini plants is insane. 2 of each would have been plenty.
- When canning, the jars don't come out of the water bath sealed already. You have to let them sit for hours. (This was the most devastating mistake of them all)
- You do need to boil the tomatoes after you blanch and peel them.
- At first I put all of the snails in a bucket and let them go free across the street....now I throw them against our house or smash them with rocks.
- Squash bugs all deserve to die miserable deaths
- One pumpkin plant needs A LOT of room!!!
- It's fun to throw the rotten tomatoes
- Weeding is overrated. My garden is full of weeds and still produces more food than I know what to do with.