I planted nine tomato plants in my very first garden.

Yes, you read that correctly, NINE.

I . . . didn’t know what I was getting myself into. Alongside some cucumbers, lettuce, and poorly supported snap peas, I crammed in nine little tomato plants that didn’t stay so small.

A family member had given me quite a few tomato starts that she had left over. And, I thought, “hey, why not, let’s throw them in the ground.” Flash forward to several months later, and I had so many tomatoes and no idea what to do with them. I made soup, spaghetti, pico de gallo, salsa, and shared lots of produce with family members. It was a fun summer, but also a learning experience.

And it was validating: “hey, I can do this.”

What began as a nine tomato plant garden has grown and changed into a new plan each year. Yet, while my crops have been more thought out, the garden continues to be a, “why not, let’s put it in the ground” scenario! Those nine tomato plants have inspired me to experiment and keep trying year after year. So far, over the course of four different summer gardens, I have grown cucumbers, green leaf lettuce, romaine, arugula, broccoli, corn, green onions, snap peas, bell peppers, strawberries, carrots, shallots, green beans, tomatoes, and a variety of herbs.

However, my favorite crop to grow continues to be tomatoes.

I love making salsa, fresh tomato soup, and spaghetti sauce. Tomatoes are so versatile, and there are many varieties. I love slicing them fresh as well as preserving them.

In my garden this year, I have six tomato plants, consisting of four varieties. (And, they are properly spaced this year!)

Roma

My favorite tomato so far to grow.

They are ideal for canning, as well as making salsa and sauces. Yet, they also are great fresh sliced on a sandwich or with fresh basil and a balsamic glaze. My husband loves to eat them by the slice with just a sprinkle of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Early Girl

This is a variety I like growing simply because of it’s name and timeline – it comes on early!

Where I live, I don’t have a super long growing season, so I need to maximize my time. From the time of transplanting the start, I can expect to have fresh tomatoes on the vine within about 70-90 days depending on the weather. An early girl plant can produce fruit in about 50 days. But in my climate, I have cold nights in May and June that I think slow my tomato growth down.

Super Sweet 100 Cherry

Enough said.

Perfect for eating straight from the vine, on salads, or in a sheet pan dinner. My first time growing this variety, I planted three plants, and it was too much for just my husband and I. I was giving cherry tomatoes away like crazy, because they can’t be preserved (or at least, I haven’t found a way to preserve them).

This year, I just have one plant. . .

San Marzano

This is a new one for me! I have one plant this year, and they are supposed to be great for sauces, so I am giving this a try. If you have grown this variety, comment below what your experience is with it.

Regardless of variety, tomatoes are such a fun crop to grow.

It’s beautiful to watch the blossoms start, then green tomatoes form, and then watch the green color slowly develop into orange and then a deep red.

There’s beauty in the process.

Part of the joy of gardening is the process, not just the produce grown. From prepping the garden soil, to planting, to pruning, and watching with a hopeful eye, excitement is found in the experience.

And, it’s a stress relief.

When life has been stressful lately, I put on my gardening gloves, pick a podcast, and head out to the garden for several hours. Digging in the dirt and being in the fresh air calm the soul. And I believe this is a gift from God.

From nine plants and no idea what I was doing, to now six plants and only slightly more of an idea of what I am doing, I am grateful for the gift to be able to grow my own food!

What’s your favorite crop to grow or fresh produce to find at your local farmer’s market?

In Christ,

Lauren

Have you ever noticed how sneaky weeds can be? They grow absolutely everywhere! They have the ability to pop up unnoticed and grow until they are big enough to take over the space where a plant is growing. The weeds rob the plant of the essential nutrients it needs, and they can manage to grow among the crops.

In my own garden, I find that I am constantly battling the weeds. It seems just as I have spent an hour weeding, the next day I find more weeds sprouted up. They like to hide underneath the plant leaves and in spaces that are not easily noticed. I find myself having to resign to living with them in the garden!

I think the same can happen in the spiritual life. There are things in our lives that are robbing us of the spiritual nutrients we need. Yet, we have resigned that we simply just have to live with them. But, we have free will and there are choices we can make in life. We can choose to weed out the distractions in our lives, but we must continually do so, just as weeds constantly come back in garden soils.

So in this life, distractions will continually present themselves.

In the parable of the sower in Matthew 13, Jesus teaches about the foundation we need for the word of God to be able to bear fruit in our lives (Matt 13:23). Jesus presented several scenarios where the seed, representing God’s word, is attempted to be planted, but various circumstances of this world prevent it from taking root. Jesus taught that when seed falls among the thorns, the thorns choked out the seed, so it was unable to grow grain (Matt 13:7).

It is critical that we pull the weeds out of our lives. Weeds that choke out our ability to hear God’s gentle voice, and weeds that interfere with our ability to grow. Thorns are inevitable in this life, but it is important to recognize them for what they are: thorny, unwanted distractions.

What are some weeds and thorns in your life that need to be maintained? How can you ask Jesus for help in weeding these out today?

In Christ,

Lauren