A growing conversation
Two years ago, I felt like the only one. Day after day, all summer, I pestered reporter Cathy Idzerda about gardening.
"Why aren't my carrots growing?"
(You have to water them every three seconds.)
"Why isn't anything happening inside my compost bin?"
(You started composting yesterday. You should worry about it.)
"How do I build a raised bed with my domestic partner without ending up in an argument?"
(Go to Carousel Consignments for an hour and let him build the raised bed by himself.)
Three seasons later, I have fewer questions, although I have yet to get a decent crop of carrots.
However, the questions keep popping up around the newsroom. Gardening, it seems, is like a rash. Or garlic mustard. It spreads.
Each year, one or two of my colleagues have planted their first vegetable gardens. Quite a few of us are calling ourselves gardeners, now. Not a day goes by that I don't hear two or three conversations about gardening.
Page designer Andy Beaumont wandered over to my desk last week and said he was worried about his beans.
(Good. In addition to moisture and heat, seeds require worrying in order to germinate.)
Reporter Gina Duwe has had her first salad of lettuce and spinach from her yard.
(More worrying.)
Yesterday, local news editor Sid Schwartz overheard me saying I'll be eating Swiss Chard in a week.
"Oooh! Swiss Chard is great with ring bologna," Schwartz yelled from his office.
(Yes. Yes it is.)
I doubt we're alone in the growing home gardening trend. Are you seeing it more among the people you know? Do your beans look terrible, too?
Won't you join us in worrying about your garden?
Jun 16, 2011 at 3:16 p.m.
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The Beetles are coming the Beetles are coming and I ain't talking about Paul(the only one left).
I sowed my Spinach seeds early April and have already eaten spinach and now and behind on eating spinach. Did it in large container pot.
I did extra early because it is a "cool crop" can start early and can go late into fall. Try sowing the seeds late summer and you should have more- yum. I can tell it is a cool weather crop because it wilts in the sun. I feel bad for it.IT is mostly shade after 4 where I have it.
I have a tomato now. No not red but green- yeah
I see a purle sweet pepper already to. A wonderful thing.
Jun 14, 2011 at 2:12 p.m.
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Cool idea! I'm going to go home and make basil ice cubes.
Jun 14, 2011 at 2:01 p.m.
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Martha Stewartish basil trick: Chop it and put about a tablespoon of it in each section of an ice cube tray. Fill with water. Once they're frozen, put the basil cubes in a freezer bag and keep them stashed in the freezer to add garden flavor to your pasta sauce in the middle of January.
It actually works!
Jun 14, 2011 at 1:39 p.m.
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Yes, window basil counts.
Hello, I'm so sorry about your tomatoes!!!!!!!
AM
Jun 14, 2011 at 1:26 p.m.
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Does my little basil plant in the kitchen window count? It's growing faster than I can use it. You gotta start somewhere, right?
Jun 14, 2011 at 1:12 p.m.
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My beans look great. (Now that I've said that, they'll probably keel over and die just to spite me.)
.
I have high hopes for my carrots this year because my husband now knows that those 'ferny little weeds' he was pulling are actually food...
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I figure, I've already gotten all the bad luck for this season out of the way. I planted my tomatoes (started from seed, babied for months indoors) and the deer promptly mowed them down. I bought new ones and planted those...then we had a hail storm. I'm on my third and final attempt now. Third time's a charm, right?
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