While most of what I say is true -- I have inherited my grandmother's tendency to exaggerate for the benefit of a good story -- there are so many ways that we struggle. One of the big struggles is ongoing frustration and uncertainty about the garden. We worry a lot, and have a persistent sense that WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WE ARE DOING. Yesterday was exemplary in terms of Amy and Rhonda garden frustration; this is not just a deep sigh of frustration. This is this-sucks-so-much-I-would-rather-be-working -the-night-shift-at-Walmart kind of frustration.
Yesterday we did our usual morning walk-about only to find that both of the beds of chard (which we have carefully weeded, fertilized, re-seeded, etc) look like warm death; all of the plants are wilty, some have been de-rooted and are completely dead, and those that survive have been eaten by bugs. Mind you, this is one of the plants that "experts" say will grow anywhere, has no predators, survives over and under watering... so our chard disaster is even more frustrating. One of the most-coveted things we anticipate growing here are leafy greens. You cannot get chard, kale, greens (mustard, collards, etc) for at least 60 miles. We miss and crave these deep-green veggies, and hope to have a bountiful crop to sustain us over the winter.
One of two devastated chard boxes.
Added to this frustration and disappointment is the fact that it seems we haven't yet really gotten that much of anything else to eat out of this garden. There was lots of arrugula for a while, and now we have daily spinach. But the few zucchini, peas, and radishes have been small in quantity -- hardly enough to fulfill my vision of "putting up" loads and loads of veggies for the winter. It is an awful lot of work for not that much food, and, as of yesterday, I was ready to pack it all in.
Since then I have regained perspective, and apologized to the garden deities offended by my cursing. I know that there will be a time -- in about a month -- when we will have more tomatoes, beans, zucchini, cucumbers, and onions than we will be able to handle. However, in the meantime, this whole gardening thing feels deeply imperfect and highly questionable.
To see a more complete picture of the state of the garden, check out the photos uploaded today at my flikr site.
3 comments:
Chard, we hardly knew you.
RIP.
Yeah, no special chard deliveries to Tacoma this year. So sad.
I totally empathize with your garden woes. It is such a bummer to put tremendous effort into a garden and then have the crops sit there and wilt. From looking at the pictures I think that you can do a lot to improve your soil. I recommend the mulching technique described by Ruth Stout in "The No Work Garden". Start now to build you next year's garden by piling hay on you garden plot. You spread it out loosely maintaining about 2 feet depth. Then you plant in the spring by simply parting the mulch down to the soil and planting the seeds or young plants. No digging and no weeding, supposedly. As your soil improves you will get weeds but also the plants will grow. As the plants and produce grow you will get other problems such as wildlife and bugs. Those problems are no fun but they give you at least a fighting chance at the vegetables.
Post a Comment