OK, I Surrender


I’ve been dreaming of a big garden this year. Lots of tomatoes and peppers and onions and everything else imaginable. I’ve been lovingly caring for my sweet little seedlings inside in a little plastic mini-greenhouse. Watering them, singing to them, anxiously waiting for Sunday morning to come. (Saturday night was the dark/new moon)

When the sun was up and the air was warming I took my green babies outside, lovingly planted them in my spot, watered them, even added some of the plant vitamin drink Christine brought me. Sure that they were happy in their new little home I went on about my day.

Around 4 PM I wandered over to check on them. And every tall, bright, beautiful stalk was drooped over, lifeless, near death. If there is any green left in the morning I’ll be surprised. Honestly I don’t know what I did. They were watered, not too much but not too litter, the soil was warm, the tide was rising, they had sunshine, vitamins, care.

And year 5 goes by that I’ve killed a garden before it’s even begun. I have some onion and carrot seeds left, but my tomatoes and peppers are gone. I surrender, I give up.

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Published by: Summer on April 7th, 2008 | Filed under food, gardening



7 Responses to “OK, I Surrender”

  1. Lis Garrett Says:
    April 7th, 2008 at 12:44 pm

    Where do you live? I live in Upstate NY, and I can’t put things out until very end of May or early June. Tomatoes and Peppers need to acclimate to outdoor temps (and LOVE warm weather). Instead of taking them out and planting them directly in the soil, leave them in their pots for about a week. They’re probably in shock. Give them a few days to see what happens . . .

    Lis Garrett’s last blog post..I’m all ears!

  2. Motherhood For Dummies Says:
    April 7th, 2008 at 1:27 pm

    Oh gardening. I just started to get into that this year, because I finally now have some room to do it. I am getting excited for my jalepenos and peppers.

    Motherhood For Dummies’s last blog post..The Story of a Snack

  3. christine Says:
    April 7th, 2008 at 2:17 pm

    I’m also waiting on my tomatoes, peppers and such, until May. I’ll resplit the seeds I have with you, if you want to try again next month!!!!

    christine’s last blog post..Adoption Update #1

  4. Kim Says:
    April 8th, 2008 at 7:27 pm

    Don’t give up! If they die get some already sprouted and start over in a few weeks. it is completely worth it if some of it lives.

    Kim’s last blog post..Closed Sundays

  5. Natchra Says:
    April 9th, 2008 at 7:30 am

    I too can not seem to keep gardens growing. I don’t know what it is but I must have a black thumb. I feel ya! Hope they come back!

  6. Ronda Says:
    April 9th, 2008 at 1:11 pm

    Things like peppers & tomatoes when started from seed indoors need to be “hardened off” before planting outdoors. Hardening off requires that you take the little baby plants outside for several hours every day for longer & longer periods and bring them back in at night for a week or so. This helps to strengthen them so they can withstand the sun, temperature fluctuations, wind, etc., outdoors. Don’t worry. You still have time to start some more seeds. Tomatoes especially don’t really grow until the weather gets & stays warm in late May (around here anyway!) Good Luck!

  7. Crunchy Domestic Goddess Says:
    April 9th, 2008 at 4:09 pm

    oh no! i’m hoping to do a real garden this year too but am afraid of exactly this sort of thing. hope you can nurse them back to health!

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