Last year I had raised planters with tomatoes and hot peppers. Tomatoes did well but we had a draught most of the summer and we had to water and water. Our well started to deplete and we were worried. One tomato plant died. We only had 6 but they produced a lot. Around the plants, I planted marigold plants. Purchased at a garden center. I saved a ton of marigold seeds and have planted some in one of those clam shell containers lettuce comes in. It has been less than a week and I see two marigolds have popped up. I hope they aren't the only two but it is an experiement to see if the seeds will even grow. I plant them around the tomatoes as a natural bug repellant. Last year we had no Japanese beatles attacking the tomato plants. I am attributing the fact that the marigolds smell terrible. I have read that dill and basil work too. I prefer marigolds because they are colorful and don't require much attention. I grow basil on my deck and lettuce too. One year I grew green beans in a 5 gallon pail on the deck. I have decided that green beans are cheap to buy at the store, fresh or frozen, so I am not bothering with them this year. I am madly in love with tomatoes and what we don't eat, we will freeze for recipes later in the year. Peppers are alway good but take forever to grow in the northeast. I will grow a cucumber plant and I am half way afraid it will produce too many for the two of us to eat. Anyone have cuke recipes? I have made a cuke recipe with sour cream, dill and I think white vinegar and sugar. I think I lost that recipe.
