Editor’s Note: This is a guest post by Chase Ledebur, my cousin Kären’s son. Chase has been gardening this summer for the first time at home, and I wanted you to hear from this wonderful and talented 12-year-old in his very own words.
Hi, I’m Chase – welcome to my garden. This is the first vegetable garden I’ve had at home. At school I was a part of planting a community garden, but it is a flower garden.
My Mom and I built the raised bed together and then planted 4 varieties of tomatoes, summer squash, three kinds of peppers, zucchini, Japanese eggplant, basil and oregano.
I have really enjoyed watching the plants grow and bear fruit. At first it started out small, but it’s now out of control. It’s so out of control that we had to cut back all our plants, stake some of them, and we are constantly harvesting all of our vegetables.
I love the whole process. Next year I think we’ll plant less, or maybe we’ll add another bed.
The Inadvertent Gardener 
Chase,
The garden looks great! Good job!
Dad
Great looking veggie bed Chase! Good job!
Great post, Chase! Looking forward to more reports from your garden.
Mark, he’s done a terrific job! Thanks for stopping by to read.
Perennialgardenlover, isn’t it great?
Lydia, thanks for posting — I’d love to get more reports from Chase, too!
Way to go Chase! That’s a beautiful garden you have there. Keep up the good work.
Great job Chase! I bet you end up adding another bed, once the gardening bug bites it’s hard to do less.
Chase, you’ve done a great job – looks like you have a jungle of tomatoes there!
G, great idea!
Awesome job Chase! You have so many talents. Next time I come in town I want you to teach me a few things. Love you very much!
Hi Chase,
My but I like what you wrote about your garden. Excellent writing! You engage the reader.
Be careful. It looks like your garden might grab you and pull you back in to the ” veggie jungle.”
When I was a lad, about your age, my parents had me in charge of our “Victory Garden.” It was during world war two and everyone was encouraged to have a Victory Garden so as to help with the war effort.
I wasn’t a good gardener. My parents didn’t help me. My plants died or burned up. Clearly you are a superb gardener. Good for you.
Keep on with your writing. You have the makings of being s super duper writer.
I have to go now because there is a giant in my room and I must ask him to leave. You how it is with those giants. So messy.
Grandma is in Seattle so I don’t know if she has seen your article and latest picture.
With love,
Grandpa
Thanks Genie for putting me on your blog and thanks to people for your nice comments. My garden is a jungle of tomatoes. My Mom is busy chopping and freezing them to make marinara and soup. I’m not eating the pesto though. I don’t really know what that is but it’s green. I discovered my dog is eating the small tomatoes. (Buddy is sometimes a pain in the butt.) If I plant another bed I want to have corn, carrots, and pumpkins. I have mysterious seed a girl once gave me that I want to plant too. I put some praying mantis in this garden to keep the bugs down and that was good.
Dad it’s too bad you don’t eat tomatoes.
Grandpa I’m keeping the giant away from my garden for sure.
Allison I’ll try to teach you something I guess.
Hey Chase! Nice garden. I’m probably three times your age but it looks like you have me beat in the green thumb department! I’m planning on expanding my garden next year too. I’m learning as I grow.
um…these comments made me cry. dad, grandpa, and chase so excited, innocent yet mature. nice.
Chase,
Think about using cover crops during different times of the year.
Check out my post @ http://blog.agroguru.org
Best of luck!
Daniel
Chase..Congratulations on your amazing success as a gardener. It is obvious you have worked very hard in order to produce vegetables that look so strong and healthy. Gardening takes much persistence…you never can slack off on the water, weeding and plant tending. You deserve a trophy for this summer accomplishment! Thank you for sharing your garden news with us.
Grandma Joan
Grandma….You’re telling me. You don’t just have to take care of the garden but then you have to do something with your vegetables or else what’s the point?! Love, Chase
Excellent job Chase! Now, when my husband and I put in our extra-large garden next year, we’ll know who to come to for advice!