Gardening can be a maddening venture. I can’t figure out why some crops thrive and produce in abundance when others whither and die. I feel like I’m doing everything I’m supposed to be doing!
This past week, after 2 weeks of not gardening, my father in law, Tom and I met up to weed, feed, water and, hopefully, harvest. We got lucky and harvested a hefty bag of green beans; lettuce and I pulled a few beets to take to my son in Baltimore, whom I visited over the weekend. There are lots of little baby carrots and little baby peppers growing. And the blueberries, raspberries and blackberries are heavy with fruit.
Unfortunately, we had to relocate the Sugar Bush Watermelon plants, as they seem to be stunted in their growth, we pulled 5 dead or dying tomato plants, and all the withered cress, too. I bought new heirloom tomato plants at Pike’s and will plant them in a new space in the garden. The pole beans are growing…no blooms yet. The Okra looks miserable, so we planted a new crop and we’ll see what happens with the first crop. And, once again, I’m fighting the Mexican bean beetle on the eggplant. I will spray them down with insecticidal soap and hopefully avert a take over!
The dogs were full of energy! They ran. They chased. They dug…yes…dug.! Oscar, the mini wirehair dachshund was a mess. His face was literally caked with earth. I had to hose him off. Lulu has suddenly decided my lemongrass is delicious and chewed on it off and on for an hour. Felix spent the better part of the morning chasing rodents…real or imaginary. And Hazel just hung out. The rest of the afternoon the pups were passed out on the bench seat in my kitchen!
There are new bluebird eggs in both birdhouses! We couldn’t believe that they reused the nests. Usually, we have to clean the boxes out so they will build new nests and have a second family. We did clean out the chickadee nest in the wren box, though. So, in a few weeks we’ll be on the lookout for another crop of bluebird babies.
Gardening is a labor of love and an exercise in patience. If at first you don’t succeed…Try, try, again.
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