Is it bad that I haven't touched my garden in several weeks? I get so wrapped up in wanting this large garden every spring, work the ground, plan everything out, spend hours planting, weeding and watering, and then by the time August gets here, I want nothing more than to look away. The last two summers have been more than enough to make any gardener want to throw in the towel. No rain, 100+ degree weather for weeks at a time and hot dry winds. Luckily we have a high water table that hasn't decided to dry up, but I'm afraid that it won't stick around. It has dropped several feet over the last two years. Our typically damp basement has been bone dry. Our newly dug pond is struggling to keep water in it and we are losing trees left and right. Most of our cedar trees are dead and I think the nice big oak in our front yard is not going to make it. It struggled to keep leaves last summer and this summer, not many stayed on it either. It's been bare most of the year.
Back to the garden.....The cabbage did marginal. That was an experiment this year. I've never tried growing it before and I may try it again. The few heads we did get, we ate or sold at the farmer's market. I had several people tell me they were good, so I guess we did a good job taking care of them. Another experiment we tried was cauliflower. That one was a flop. It had lovely foliage, but NOTHING showed up that looked like a head of cauliflower. I think we planted it too late and the heat kept it from finishing. Most of the other "usual" veggies grew fairly well. The cucumbers turned out bitter, but I'm sure that's from the heat and lack of water.
We are also struggling to get a milo crop to finish. The heat and lack of water stunted the growth and when it finally rained, the warmth that the plants need to finish maturing went away. I think we will be able to cut, but it won't be a great crop. Luckily it's not our sole income. It's only 16 acres, so it's a definite hobby.
I guess it's ok that I get a little garden burn out by the time August comes around. School starting is always a busy time for us. Our oldest son started high school this year, so that has been a big change. He is driving to school now. (GASP!!!) It has made my life soooo much easier. I don't have to sit around and wait on him after school and other activities that are immediately after school. He can just head home when he is done. Our daughter started her 2nd year of preschool this year and is also getting involved in activities in the evening. It's amazing how quickly they grow up. Before I know it, she'll be heading off to her first day of high school.
I am also a volleyball coach at a neighboring school. That keeps me busy till 6 or 6:30 most nights and sometimes longer. It's something I love, so I feel it's worth it. Being a positive role model to teenage girls is something that I feel I can do to give back. That's a post for another day!
My thoughts on the garden burn out leads me back to looking at the year and understanding that it's ok to get tired of it. If all I did was garden all year long, it wouldn't be so exciting each spring when the catalogs start showing up. Each season comes with its "things to do" lists that need to be done. Having a little time off helps me get that itch and the excitement to tackle these projects.
Time to put the garden to rest, so I can be ready to roll when spring comes around!
No comments:
Post a Comment