NEWBIE from SOUTH JERSEY

Hey ho! My name is Jan and I live in Pennsville ( 7b) near the Del. Memorial Bridge. DG is an awesome site. I'm a little overwhelmed, but am slowly working my way around. Everyone seems so friendly, but that's not surprising since gardeners are nurturers.

Life is kinda hectic right now. My mom is under hospice care, but is doing pretty well now. ( what a great service) So my focus this year has been on flower containers on the deck for her to enjoy on days she can get out there (and not get eaten by mosquitoes). She is the reason we have gardens at all. She LOVES flowers, so ten years ago when they moved in we put one in and keep expanding every year. I would like to have about ten hands to keep up. It becomes a passion doesn't it?

Believe it or not, I am struggling with zucchini . From reading some of the posts I think I just need to be patient or maybe do some hand pollinating.

Sorry to be long-winded. I guess I have cabin fever from the 24/7 caregiver routine. Hubby and I went out last week for our anniversary and it was wonderful to get out for a while. My garden time is when the aide is here for a couple of hours.

Glad to have found this site,
Jan

Hi Jan and Welcome to DG.
There are alot of folks here at DG that are caregivers..you'll find them on threads thoughout the site. I'm not sure if there is a forum dedicated to that or not but you'll find plenty of people that share the same daily struggles.

Gardening does become a passion, an addiction even.

Zucchini usually isn't too hard to grow. You're probably right, a little more patience. Before long, you'll have more than you know what to do with..lol

Jackie

hello jan and welcome to daves garden from upstate new york. i probably pass your area whenever i go to ocean city maryland which is often. this is a great place and i know you will enjoy the heck out of it.

Thanks for the greetings and the encouragement. Have a great day.

Welcome Jan, you'll love it here. I too cared for my parents for a long time, my Mom for ten years. Dave's was such a good escape for me at the time, the people here are great, and I learned so much from them. I'm glad you go to the garden when you can. it's good therapy for stress.Take good care of yourself!
(My daughter lives in Brick N.J)
.Jacquie

Welcome from another NJ newbie.
This is my first year on the site. It has helped me a great deal in short period of time. Your right it is a passion. One that has given me a endless rewards.

Keep the strength, good luck with your Mom.

Thanks for the support. I KNEW I found a home here on DG.
I grew up in Holmdel, way back when it was mostly farms. It is a culture shock to go back there now and see fields my Dad used to farm. Now there are megamansions all over the place. The guys on the farm would "contract out" ( I guess that's the term) to bring in the harvest on other farms. We didn't own the farm just worked on it. What a great place to grow up!
Mom is really doing so much better now than a few months ago, but she can't really be by herself. Sometimes, if the skeeters aren't too bad and it's not so humid she sits on the deck while I putter.

Jan

I wish I would have seen the area when it was still predominately undeveloped. I'm sure you have loads of wonderful memories. I'm an transplant from the northern part of the state. Have loved the area since moving in.

It seems in the last couple of years that farming is starting to make a come back. As I drive west I see more and more road stands popping up, supported by local farmers. That's encouraging.

Have you tried anything besides the zucchini? Mine have just started to grow this past week. In fact most of the garden kicked into overdrive the past two. It was very frustrating reading all the posts, and seeing everyones wonderful pics and then looking outside and seeing plants that just didn't want to get going. Last two weeks changed all that.

The zukes are really doing poorly. lol I jsut can't believe it, cuz the maters are doing well. Lots of green ones. I keep looking for a red blush so I can get excited. I'll just get my zukes from a friend who has a huge garden and rarely eats anything herself. She doesn't know what she's missing.
Hey, have you ever been to Delicious Orchards on Rt 34 in Colts Neck? That started out as a roadside stand. It was on the road that intersects Rt 34 at the light there in Colts Neck on the way to Tinton Falls. That was back in the 60's

Jan

Your doing better than I on the maters. Mine are still just starting to show themselves. I'm almost getting impatient. Soon, soon.
Yes, been to Delicious Orchards many times. Actually just went this weekend. Walked in just as they were pulling some fresh apple pies out of the ovens. Took everything not to buy one, or two or ....
I learned about the place from one of my neighbors. Didn't realize it started as a stand. There are still a number of pick your own behind it and in the general area. I wonder if their associated.

Probably some of them. Oh, the bakery dept. I can smell the pecan pies now. We have never been able to duplicate it or find anything close to it anywhere. It has been since before Thanksgiving of last year that we were up visiting, but a trip to DO is always on the agenda when we do.

Welcome to DG.

Thank you. We've driven by Olympia before going from my son's in Beaverton, OR. to my dad's cousin's house in Puyallup. Beautiful country. The first time I went to WA was back in 1961 with my Nana to visit in Tacoma. I was 9 and remember going up Mt. Rainier in July and playing in the snow in short sleeves. That just blew my mind. The other thing I recall was my relative's fuschia. Absolutely gorgeous!!

Jan