End-of-Season Woes

Now that Fall is here and Winter is sure to follow, I can't help but remember what a dismal gardening season this has been for me. Failed cucumbers, late blooming tomatoes, pumpkin seeds that did not sprout, and green bean vines that curled and swirled endlessly but still refused to yield even one bean. 

I have, however, pondered, lamented and murmured long enough. To make myself feel better and to see if there is something I can do better next year, I've bought a couple of gardening books to read before Spring comes round again. 

Fingers crossed. 

Historic Gardening Series Segment #1 / Wide-Row Planting

 According to the garden bulletin "Wide-Row Planting: The Productive Miracle" by Dick Raymond: "wide-row planting is simply a matter of broadcasting seeds in bands anywhere from ten inches to three or more feet wide" (1). The benefits of wide-row planting are many. Here are just a few to mull over.

 

First, wide rows contain more plants than regular rows, so production per square foot is increased.

 

Second, wide-row planting saves the gardener time when weeding and harvesting because you have so much growth directly in front of you and out to each side. This means you will spend more time actually weeding and harvesting and less time moving up and down rows.

 

Third, you save space when you plant in shorter rows as opposed to longer rows, which is helpful if you are trying to grow as much as possible in a small space. 

 

And finally, planting in wide rows produces shade, which in turn retains moisture in the soil so plants and the soil they are planted in do not dry out as quickly.

 

Although wide-row gardening is rewarding and convenient, not all plants should be planted in wide rows. Raymond states plants such as beans, beets, cabbage, and carrots will do well in wide rows, while plants that love large amounts of sun and heat, such as corn, tomatoes, and peppers do better when they have plenty of room to grow.

 

Works Cited

Raymond, Dick. "Wide-Row Planting: The Productive Miracle." Garden Way Publishing Bulletin A - 2. Garden Way Publishing, Pownal, VT. Copyright 1977 by Storey Communications, Inc. 

In Favor of Southern Literature

 

My mom and I had been at it for the better part of the afternoon. By it, I mean going through several trunks she had inherited when my grandmother passed away years ago.  The purpose of our search was to find my grandmother’s copy of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel Little Women. As a kid, I used to spend summers with my grandparents and I always read this book before returning home. As we continued our hunt, we found many treasures - samplers, trinkets, pictures, old newspaper clippings and the like, but no book.  

As our search began to wind down, one old trunk in particular caught my attention. It was wooden and white paint was flaking off the sides like snowflakes being brushed from the shoulders of a winter coat.  As I sat cross-legged in the middle of my mom’s living room floor, I reached inside the trunk and carefully lifted out a large, crinkled brown paper bag, expecting to find more pictures of my grandmother and her family from South Carolina. Instead, I pulled out an original hand-written essay entitled Southern Literature by Quinnie Shuler, held together by a single paperclip.  Gently, I lifted the cover page to reveal perfect penmanship and flowing sentences, several of which caught my eye right away: “Let us put forth an effort to arouse an interest in Southern literature. Some of us are inclined to look over the rich treasures near at hand for something in the distance. It is all well and good to read Shakespeare, Scott, Burns, Tennyson, Longfellow, Wittier, Hawthorne and others . . . but let us not entirely overlook writers of this fair South . . . for if we, their countrymen do not honor them, who can be expected to do so.”

As I read these words, I could barely contain my excitement. My mother, sensing my giddiness, glanced over at me for half a second and asked, “What are you reading?” I handed her the paper and after looking at the cover sheet, she confirmed the author, Quinnie Shuler was my great-grandmother and that she was a school teacher before she married my great-grandfather. When I told my mom the essay was coming home with me, she shrugged her shoulders and went back to fussing about Alcott’s missing masterpiece.

I left my mom’s house that day with samplers, trinkets, pictures, old newspaper clippings and the like. We never found Ms. Alcott’s award winning book, but I did leave with a thought-provoking essay, written by a strong southern woman who read and admired the same classic writers as her great-granddaughter. Without moaning or belittling, Quinnie urged her readers to “wake up and look around to see what could be accomplished in the line of literature” and to invest in Southern literature and writers as a way to advance pride, honor, and “literary progress” in a land in which so many had lost so much in the years before. And although the essay was titled and written in the interest of Southern literature, to me, it speaks of so much more. 

 

 

 

Garden Variety Diversity

I've seen a lot of commercials lately regarding the way I am supposed to live. Apparently, there's a long list of things I shouldn't say, things I need to say, and social injustices I should look for daily while driving to work or getting my morning coffee at the local fast food restaurant down the street.

One of my least favorite ads is for boxed meals that come already prepped for cooking. Perfectly cut portions of chicken or pork and vegetables, ready to cook and eat. No creativity, no freshness, no mess- just cookie-cutter meals promoted by advertisers who insist diversity is what makes the world go round. 

Do I watch too much television? Maybe. But authentic diversity to me isn't a prepackaged concept created by one group and imposed upon another. The idea of diversity tends to be at its best when it initiates organically, free from the social construct created by those "in the know."  Yes, I  like my diversity like I like my fruits, vegetables, and flowers- fresh, colorful, and naturally grown. 

I'm Going to My Garden

Soon, I'm going to my garden, where the sun shines, the flowers grow, and the peppers and tomatoes live in harmony. No worries, no distractions--just butterflies and a plethora of fruits and vegetables await me there. Yes, I'm going to my garden soon.

The Self-Aware Garden

As I sat down to eat my lunch the other day, the advert on the back of the tuna packet I was eating from caught my eye- "Behold, the thing sandwiches dream about." 

If the thought of a self-aware sandwich is a wee bit frightening to you, you may not want to read any further. However, if you're up for the challenge, here's a thought: what type of gardeners do gardens dream about? In other words, if you were a garden, what type of gardener would you like taking care of you? A no frills, barefoot cultivator with a straw hat on their head and a hoe in their hand? Or maybe a newcomer on the gardening scene, dressed from head to toe in the latest gear from the Tractor Supply Store?

 

If I may offer an opinion, I think gardens just want a gardener who is passionate about what they do. Someone who isn't just concerned with the end result, but also enjoys the journey. 

Drama-Free Zone

Ever have someone share an idea or belief with you because they thought you would endorse said idea or belief? Then, when you didn't see things their way, they became upset or agitated? 

When I encounter situations like this, I long for the quietness of my garden. No one vying for my opinion and then resenting me because I have one. Just the occasional green bean vine interlaced with the silk of a corn stalk, or a tomato plant leaning a little too far to the left or a little too far to the right. No anger, no drama, just peace and quiet.