My Backyard

I haven't gotten a chance to report on our vegetable garden this year. The tomato plants have been in the ground since mid-May, but they are really coming along. We have 6 plants (which we bought already started for us) and they are getting taller. I'm so excited.

I can't wait to have fresh tomato's from the garden. We already have some flowers on the plants which is a good sign. Quick story-my FIL went out an bought our plants without me this year since we were at my cousins wedding in May and he couldn't wait for me any longer. So, the night of the wedding he lets me know he bought the plants and he had set them out in the garden where he would like us to plant them. Great! Then his next sentence was to inform me he bought the plants from Ocean State (which is a discounted store for rejected items from other stores) and he really isn't sure they are actually tomato plants. Oh geez! I said hopefully soon they will be showing signs that they are indeed tomato plants and finally they are! Phew!

We also are trying cucumbers from seedlings this year. Hopefully they will turn out better then my carrots from last year (OK Sarah, stop laughing). I have to report that my carrots did not grow any longer then 2 inches long, but they were fat so at least I has something! The first carrot I picked (early so I can check the progress) was so small and petite that my niece thought it was for her toy bunny. Nice, huh? So, we'll see if cucumbers work better for us this year!

Now onto my strange phenomenon near my swing in the back yard. I notice an occurrence of mushrooms popping up every time it rains. The next day after a heavy rain, I have dozens of mushrooms mixed in with my mulch! I have no idea why! I pluck them from the ground, then they keep coming back in different locations.

I have a weed/grass blocking material separating the dirt and the mulch to help stop sprouting so the only thing I can think of is either some kind of bacteria is on the material or its the mulch I bought. Any suggestions why? Or something to make them stop growing?!?

We've never had a mushroom growth like that in our yard (well, at least since I've been here for the last 6 years). Last year when we set the swing up, laid the weed/grass blocker and the mulch, this never happened. Its just very odd to me that its only in this area of the yard. I go out there every time and pick them, and they just keep coming back.