grace grits and gardening

ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

  • Home
  • Bio
  • Publishing
  • SHOP!
  • Garden
  • Food
  • Reading & Books
  • Sunday Letter

The true story of my garden in May.

May 26, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

This is a true story. Non-fiction. My garden in May is growing exactly like the seed packages promised. This truth shocks me each day. Always before, the idea of a garden filled with a bounty of vegetables, growing according to the seed package instructions, was purely fictional.

Mythical even.

My Serrano, jalapeño and bell peppers all seem to be thriving. Look at this bell pepper. It’s the size of my fist. It will be roasting on John’s Big Green Egg today.

Bell Pepper

My cucumbers are coming on! I plan to try my hand at canning these.

cucumbers in my community garden plot:) yay.

My first tomato harvest. These are Romas.

My first tomato harvest

And check out my celery. It really looks like celery.

growing celery!

Last week I harvested the last of my onions, a few more radishes, added fertilizer and I’ve been topping off my Ollas every two-three days.

I planted okra seeds and they sprouted in three days. Wow. True story.

okra sprouts

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Seed Quote

Musical Pairing:

When You’re Smiling – Doris Day

 

Filed Under: Gardening, Nature & Seasons Tagged With: organic gardening, Promise of Peace Community Garden

Wanna receive posts via email? Sign up here!

Comments

  1. Barbara Tate says

    May 26, 2014 at 8:52 am

    Maybe you should try your hand planting cotton, soybeans, and rice. Your daddy would be so proud that you are gardening now.

    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      May 26, 2014 at 7:12 pm

      I think we’ll stick with Ron for that:)

  2. Colene says

    May 26, 2014 at 9:06 am

    Great job Talya! I can see why it would put a smile on your face. Your celery is gorgeous and the way celery should look, unlike that stuff in the produce aisle.

    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      May 26, 2014 at 7:13 pm

      Thanks Colene!

  3. Mindy says

    May 26, 2014 at 11:24 am

    Your garden is lovely! I am still filling up my little containers with plants and hoping that they all make it. Oh to have a garden as beautiful as yours!

    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      May 26, 2014 at 7:13 pm

      Thank you Mindy. I do a lot of herbs in containers.

  4. Dot says

    May 26, 2014 at 12:12 pm

    I who have a black thumb admire your green one! How fantastic! Enjoy.

    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      May 26, 2014 at 7:13 pm

      haha Dot thanks! It’s fun!

  5. Barbara Tate says

    May 26, 2014 at 9:38 pm

    Beautiful garden!!!

  6. Dorothy Johnson says

    May 26, 2014 at 9:53 pm

    I am impressed with your gardening skills. Trying not to be envious of your crops.

  7. dana says

    May 27, 2014 at 6:49 pm

    Everything looks wonderful!!! I love your enthusiasm!!!! I bet it all tastes as good as it looks too!!! Yummy!!

    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      May 28, 2014 at 6:40 am

      Yes it is amazing how fresh something tastes straight from the garden!


Hi! I'm Talya Tate Boerner. Writer, Reader, Arkansas Master Naturalist / Master Gardener, Author of

THE ACCIDENTAL SALVATION OF GRACIE LEE (2016)

GENE, EVERYWHERE: a life-changing visit from my father-in-law (2020)

BERNICE RUNS AWAY (2022)

THE THIRD ACT OF THEO GRUENE (coming 2025)

Recent Ramblings:

  • Sunday Letter: 11.23.25
  • Maggie and Miss Ladybug: My New Children’s Nature Book
  • Sunday Letter: November 9, 2025
  • Sunday Letter: Oct 26, 2025
  • Sunday Letter: Oct 5, 2025

Novels:

Coloring Books:

Fiction-Themed Coloring Books

Backyard Phenology:

Children’s Nature Book:

Never miss a blog post! Subscribe via email:

Looking for something?

Categories

All the Things!

A to Z April Blog Challenge Autumn BAT Book Reviews childhood Christmas creative writing prompt Dallas Desserts Fall Fayetteville Food Gracie Lee Halloween Hemingway-Pfeiffer holiday recipes home humor Johnson Family Keiser Lake Norfork Lucy and Annabelle Mississippi County Mississippi Delta Monarch butterflies Munger Place Nana nature Northeast Arkansas Northwest Arkansas Osceola poem Reading Schnauzer simple living simple things spring spring gardening Summer Talya Tate Boerner novel Thanksgiving The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee Thomas Tate Winter Wordless Wednesday

Food. Farm. Garden. Life.

THANKS FOR READING!

All content and photos Copyright Grace, Grits and Gardening © 2025 · Web Hosting By StrataByte