Frustration in the Garden

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It’s been a frustrating day in the garden.

March was a wet month, and it looks like our potatoes have rotted instead of germinating. They’re hilled, in raised beds, so that shouldn’t have happened. So, darn.

All our soaker hoses–we use them for irrigation–have humungous holes. Time to invest in five new 50-foot long soaker hoses.

The black plastic mulch we put down for the scallions blew away in the wind, despite anchoring with earth staples and bricks. So hmm… that didn’t turn out the way I thought it would.

And the red plastic mulch I bought to save me from excess weeding of tomatoes? It’s just too windy to even try. My new tomato babies need protection from the wind more than I need a break from weeding. Today, we planted them, with old kitty litter boxes as windbreaks. Jim cuts out the bottoms (drill a hole, then cut with a saber saw).

In the photo, you’re seeing a newly planted tomato, grown from seed and nurtured in the basement under fluorescents. It’s inside one of those bottom-less kitty-litter box. Most years, I’ve left the plants in the boxes until the tomatoes grow taller than the tops. If it’s windy where you are, these plastic boxes are a great hack.

For new folks to the blog, welcome. If you are following for #amwriting, that’s Thursdays. Lately, I write about the novel querying process.

If you’re following for #amgardening, that’s today, Mondays. I write about what it’s like to garden in Kansas–today it’s been disappointing.

 

 

 

7 thoughts on “Frustration in the Garden

  1. There are always disappointments. This week for me it was a broken truck, broken golf cart that I use to haul all my gardening stuff, and a broken oven door. And heavy rain and strong winds pretty well flattened all the new daffodil flowers. Tomorrow will be better! Enjoyed your post.

  2. We have had constant high winds! Still about 6 weeks to early to get started planting. Think I’ll put my energies elsewhere this year. Gardening has lost its joy for me. Certainly cheaper to buy produce at the Farmer’s Market than grow my own!

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    • Our farmers market here is light on produce I can grow but I’m starting to come to your way of thinking. It’s a struggle especially with climate change.

  3. The ground’s still frozen in Ontario. Can’t wait to be out and about digging. The bitter winter has taken its toll. Sorry about the disappointments. (Sending you a virtual hug!). Best wishes with the querying. (I’ve put that on hold for the moment … the process was becoming quite traumatic!). Have a great week. Smiles xx

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