Getting cold thumbs

I'm pleased to announce that last years  garden hubris  (scroll down) survived the winter just fine and is greening up and is ready to get moved from its winter quarters in the yard  up to its summer place on the deck. It didn't do a whole lot last year other than to not die but I have high hopes for this year. I'm hoping for actual raspberries. Keep a good thought.

The backyard garden got bigger again. Its not hugely bigger, just a little really but still, its bordering on garden hubris 2009. Sigh. I didn't mean for it to happen but we had some sun today  finally, and I noticed that there was more sun on the one side and less on the other and if I utilized a little bit more of the unprepared space on the sunny side, well, more space on the sunny side!  I mean the less sunny side is hardly the dark side of the moon but still... and there is a tree over there and the tree does not exactly hide extra sunshine under its limbs. I learned last year that while you can  plant things in the shade you can't always make them grow.

But still. It's not even planted yet and it's starting to seem  like a really big  garden; Can I deal with that much garden? Last years garden was very tiny and manageable and didn't take a whole lot of time or energy. What if I'm not good at a larger garden? What if I get over whelmed? What if its too much?

Okay. Deep breaths. I've ordered a total of twelve plants and that's hardly constitutes a  truck farm . I'm also looking to pick up some green bean bushes and I'm  thinking about trying out  companion planting        so that would add more plants, but this time flowers! nasturtiums and French marigolds planted in between the tomatoes and peppers. It will keep the plants healthy and hold down the pests and draw in badly needed bees. Also,  flowers are pretty.

 How much room is all that going to take? I mean what if I don't have enough space? I have prepped a 10x 12 space ahead of the real prepping - The space is supposed to be 8x12, so I'm going to lose some of it, but if I lose space on the shady side of the space it won't break my heart and I'll be able to use the space more efficiently. Forget the room, what about the time and effort? Will I have time for all this? I mean I have a full time job all ready and the summer is going to be hot and hot and I know I'm going to want to get away some weekends not to mention getting away for vacation in August. Am I going to be up for the all the extra work and effort? I really want to be, but what if I'm not?