When I really just want to blow it up.
I went out this evening to pick the last of the green beans. I thought they were done a few weeks ago but when I was was considering pulling them up, it rained and they were just covered with blooms again. Well, these beans are hard as rock in any size from those that need a few days to ready to pick. No idea what happened there but they are being pulled. There are still a few of the original plants with beans I left to dry. I should be able to pick those after the weekend. Other that that the beans are done. Mr. Fix-It was mowing with the tractor and I laid out piles of bean plants on the lawn which he kindly mowed over chopping them up for the compost bin.
One of the cantaloupe plants that sprouted in May, has just sat all summer with barely any growth. I started to yank it up also and noticed it now has 6 melons on it. They had grown into the beans. I’m not sure how we avoided stepping on them.
The Amish pumpkin I was so excited finally had pumpkins? Anything smaller than a baseball is rotting at the stem and falling off. The larger ones, so far so good…but I’m not holding my breath.
I know it was a terrible year in the garden for nearly everyone. The drought or flooding..but I tell you when I was yanking up those beans I nearly started bawling. I worked my butt off this summer, weeding crab grass that seems to grow a foot overnight, carrots , spinach, ANY greens and peas that did not germinate after 3 separate plantings. I had enough green beans for about 20 pints, 5 darn beets, mutant watermelon, yet tomato’s and peppers out the ears.
I’m having a pity party I know, I can’t stand whining (Love wine) but when I think of most of that darn work was in temps like high 90’s to over 100 degrees, hauling water and the outrageous water bills we’ve had….I’ve nothing to show. Not even any weight from my big old rear end, I think that is what has been the clincher!
I did learn quite a bit and will apply that knowledge to next years garden….which the majority of will be in raised beds.
OK, the pity party & whining is over. Turn in your party hat
There’s always next year right?
Katie
Katie,
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your struggles, I too seem to struggle with most things these days; lost my entire group of chickens to a predator, lost my new hive of bees, new chickens got sick, and am now late in planing for the fall season of growing. But I do keep trying. It makes me appreciate our foremothers/fathers and all they went through.
Hi Katie
ReplyDeleteGardening really is a challenge, and this year has not been a good one. But, through all of it, I've learned there's good years and bad years and it all evens out somehow. Mostly, I just enjoy the time spent outdoors listening to the birds and watching things. It's kind of my peaceful ME time.
Katie,
ReplyDeleteI believe we all had struggles very similar to yours. The weather truly had alot to do with it. Right now, the only thing I have that will produce anything is my ginger plant. Everything else either I harvested, or it tried to develop and just died (because of the weather). My entire garden has been cleared out and is now ready for spring to come around again. I've given up on a fall garden.
Oh Katie, I am so sorry the garden didn't produce as well as you had hoped. Like you said though, you did learn from it and that is what is important. I know it doesn't offer any consolation but you know that you need raised beds next year so that is a start...and I bet you might not have lost any weight off the butt but I bet it is firmer! LOL Lots of hugs.
ReplyDeleteI soooo know how you feel. There are years you just want to go out there with a blow torch and burn that bugger down. But all you can do is have a little wine and a lot of hope. By next spring we are all so anxious to get back out in that garden we forget all this bad crap. Good thing too, or there would be a LOT less gardeners :)
ReplyDeleteSometimes it just doesn't seem fair, does it? If we had all just given it half an effort, we'd have nobody to blame but ourselves. But when we literally put so much blood, sweat (a LOT of sweat) and tears (if not those then swear words) into the garden and get not nearly enough reward, it IS frustrating to the nth degree. I guess we can just be thankful we aren't our forefathers who would probably be more than a little hungry during the winter with such poor harvests. Next year! That's the gardening mantra. Next year!
ReplyDeleteThanks Izzy for the reminder that we HAVE an outdoor to enjoy 8-/ Something I think we tend to take for granted
ReplyDeleteThanks ladies. for allowing me to to whine! I'm so very grateful we do not need this garden to survive as our fore-fathers did! Next year will be better right?!?!?!
ReplyDelete