Green Thumb Disabled

Growing up my mom would plant a vegetable garden almost every year.  I can still remember her sealing jars of canned tomatoes.  I can remember being sent to the neighbor's house with a paper bag of extra vegetables.  I remember eating peas straight from the garden as a snack while I played outside.  I've always dreamed of  having a few gardens of my own. 

The first would be a beautiful flower garden.  This I achieved, when I was still in college I began planting a flower garden at my parents house, in what was once my mothers vegetable garden.  I started with my favorite flowers, Peonies.  Oh the anticipation each year waiting for my peonies to bloom.  I would cut fresh peonies for my bedroom and bathroom every few days.  Slowly over a few years,  my mom and I added to the garden until it was a nice, low maintenance flower garden. 

When I moved to Hawaii I thought it was the perfect chance to begin a produce bearing garden.  Imagine my disappointment when I find out our meticulously HOA maintained *yard {5ft in front of our house} has a strict "no plant" "no flower box" "nothing on your front porch" "nothing on your patio ledge" policy.  To say I was discouraged is an understatement.  I had dreams of cooking glorious meals with vegetables straight from my garden.  Big Love would be so impressed with this wonderful woman he married!  Not to mention the money we would save! Red Pepper from the market: $4.99, from my garden: free  Tomato from the market: $1.50+  from my garden: free.  {Note: do not move to Hawaii if you enjoy eating any sort of fresh food or food not purchased at Costco}  My new neighbor, Dottie {name fits her well}  invited me in one afternoon to show me the planters  box contraption her husband built for her.  It was high enough for the herbs to get sun, yet still low enough not to be seen by the HOA police.  It gave me some hope....Big Love has a great many talents, but I don't believe building box-contraptions is one of them.    After careful/mathematical planning, I found a spot on our deck/lanai where plants could get sun/rain and not be seen from the street.  I went out and got some beautiful herbs. 

I bought I plain planters box and some soil...I mean it's simple right?  My dreams are coming true!!  Now fast forward a few months..........

Umm yeah, that's pretty bad.  I would like you to note the right side where the plant was completely dead I actually had to pulled it out. 

Thank goodness our livelihood is not dependent on my gardening skills.