Pitfalls of a First Year Gardener

Well the first year garden was quite fun. I sort of gave up on it half way through the summer, but the tomatoes did well regardless.

In California I had a little garden and actually had pretty good success, so here in TN I was feeling a bit over confident. In one area of the garden I planted some bell pepper and egg plant. I grew eggplant one year in CA and it did well and I thought I kind of remember what an egg plant plant looked like.

So when this little beauty appeared with its deep purple stalk, I assumed it to be egg plant. But then it got much taller than an eggplant. I soon realized that it probably wasn't an egg plant plant unless things in the south just sorta mutate on their own.





But I let it alone because it was doing very well in my garden and not a whole lot of other stuff I planted was doing well and I wanted my garden to have SOME success.

Then it put out these darling little flowers. So cute!



And these yummy looking berries.



But then I found out about a week ago that this is actually Poke Weed and quite poisonous, unless you are a little song bird. We had a good soaking rain yesterday so I went out this morning and pulled that little tree out, right after Rick told me that he almost ate some of those yummy looking berries.

Then I found this volunteer in the next bed over. Pretty sure it's Poison Ivy. It's doing quite well. I must have a knack for growing dangerous plants!



And after not seeing any pesky little bugs beside the Japanese Beetles, I came across this little stinker today.



Where do they come from? There isn't a garden a mile from my house in any direction! I should just toss all of them on the Poke Berry as some sort of science experiment!