I think I am finally beginning to understand my mother's contant worry for the well being of her daughters and her agonizing over if she has done everything she can for us. With the Lisaland garden I may be experiencing my first real sentiments of parenthood; I am simultaneously proud and doubtful that I am doing all that I can for it, I worry about possible troubles it could be facing though to look at it you would know it was happy and healthy, I have even been woken up by a dream of a tomato plant that has just shriveled away.
My current parental distresses are:
1. We have been battling a flea beetle problem. The have really taken their toll on the broccoli and cauliflower plants but I think they will still produce as the plants are sturdy and strong, just not so pretty with their leaves almost lace-like in spots. Our collard greens and kale are also getting it bad; we haven't even had an edible harvest from the kale. Our little eggplants which are still pretty small (they were put in the ground kind of late) don't seem to be getting targeted though and I am thankful for that. I suppose if I only have to give up the kale to save the eggplant (we still have lots of chard!) it could be worse....I guess all the kids know the night shades have always been my favorites.
2. I have recently found a few leaves with stink bug eggs on our tomato plants and I have become the mother whose child was sent home from school with lice; combing through their leaves daily in search for stink bug evidence; scrounging the internet for every homeopathic (organic) remedy I can find; rolling up my sleeves, gritting my teeth and taking care of it, regardless of the heeby jeebies those little eggs give me. What a mother wouldn't do for her babies!
3. Three of our corn plants were knocked down during a wind storm last week; they've been righted they are still hanging in there for all the loving nurture they're receiving but they are definitely drying out.
4. We have had 5 ripe tomatoes off of our volunteer plants so far but each one has had bad blossom end rot. The volunteer plants are kinda like the kids from down the block, but I love them almost as I love my own and I don't want to see anymore of this blossom end rot. And now to really keep me up at night I saw two tomatoes in the tomato towers (non-volunteers) today with signs of blossom end rot. What is a parent to do?
As we sit down to dinner tonight with all brilliant bounty I know that half of my head will still be filled with worry of those out there braving the night without me!
Yes, our garden is like an extra child, and we worry and fuss at it all the time. I know that it turns out just fine every year, but still I worry and fuss some more.
Good luck on your adventure, your child is doing great. We all have a few scrapes and bruises of childhood, which really just gives us more character and stories to tell, and your garden is just the same. :) :)
PS. The blossom end rot, so I read, can be fixed by adding the calcium and I thing nitrogen to the soil. I read recently that it would show results within a week or two. :)
Wow! The legacy of worry proceeds to the nest generation... I'm so glad I had good friends who kept telling me my kids were just fine (and telling me they were brilliant & talented, too)... I prescribe more yoga... For removing squash bug eggs, I recommend duct tape; less icky than hand removal... it's hard to get them all, alas!
It's so true! A garden is like a child. It needs us to nourish and encourage...somehow I'm thinking it's been easier with our 2 kids! They never had a groundhog in their bed....or worms under the covers (I hope).
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