Why is it that I feel like I'm not a good enough woman if I don't have a flourishing garden in my back yard? I signed up for an enrichment night activity for beginning gardeners (I have never had a garden, but thought it might be a good/fun thing to have). Anyways, I signed up and got a call from the Enrichment person saying, "my son needs to do a service project, so he can come dig out your garden with you and then we can have the enrichment meeting at your house and show everyone how to plant the garden." This sounds like an ideal situation for me, not knowing what I'm doing so I agree to it with ENTHUSIASM. I just don't think about one very important detail.... JED. He is dead set against the idea - and as we all know, when he's dead set against it then he's DEAD SET AGAINST IT. He doesn't see why we can't just "buy fresh vegetables at the store like everyone else - it's not that expensive." I really didn't have a good answer to that one. But, I have already agreed to the garden and the help, so I just decide that I will just take care of it myself. Has anyone ever tried to dig out a big patch of grass with a shovel? It is a big pain in the buttox. I have new respect for Dad & Paul digging out those trampoline holes. Man alive. Anyways, so the 17 year old kid that needs to do a service project comes over today to help me dig. Jed is home, but won't help, so it's just me and this poor kid (who didn't want to be there, but was forced by his mom). Talk about uncomfortable!! We got about a fourth of the way done, when Jed comes out to help without me begging or anything! I think he just felt like too big of a jerk not helping (as he should). Then it was even more uncomfortable because Jed made it clear that he was not happy about this. He did make it go way faster though, so I didn't care how mad he was.
So now, I have a big patch of grass gone, and a lot of expectation for this glorious garden. What have I gotten myself into? Jed kept saying - "We're just going to have to put grass back down next year!" Does he not know how stubborn I am? This garden is going to be the bomb if it kills me!
12 comments:
That is some serious drama. How funny. I have to laugh for the poor teenage boy, stuck in the middle of it all. If it doesn't work out, you have a "sand" box for the kids to play in!
It sounds quite familiar to me. I think we have another Randy and Pam on our hands. I have to commend you for wanting to try a garden. The vegetables are 10 times better tasting, but keeping the weeds out is a real pain. We had a wonderful garden in Bountiful, then one in Sandy for about two years then the sod went back in the garden. I say, if you are willing to weed it, what the heck. After a while you just learn to give in and go with the flow. The power struggle is just too dang hard.
You felt really strongly about the comment, huh dad.
Go Jaime go Jaime plant your garden! I am a nerd. I can't wait to see what you plant! I was all excited to do a garden at our new house, so I took a gardening class. The class was awesome, but it was WAY too much information. Now I feel even more clueless and don't know where to begin. I'm growing some pretty sweet weeds, though. Maybe you'll have some good tips for me by the end of the summer.
I can grow just about anything, (except wisteria-ask Lisa). Anyways, here is what you need to do to keep Jed happy. Don’t plant in cute little rows . . . that’s right, I said DON’T. I found that it is easier to keep the weeds out if you plant ONLY what your family will eat in abstract clusters, sounds crazy but It always works for me (except corn, corn has to be in rows, it’s a pollination thing). The cluster planting allows you to get between the vegetables much easier. Then you fill in the rest with some (6) pumpkin plants. Jed will be happy because your garden will be a success. I know you and your family will not relate to this but, I found the with my gargantuan Babbar feet, I was crushing the rows by trying to get between them to weed. Now that I am older and have more girth around my mid-section I have to work from my knees (it’s a gravity thing) (abstract planting allows more room to pass out in during the weeding process). I wish you luck with this little adventure.
What dad forgot about our Sandy garden was that with all the oak trees it could only get 3 hours of sun. By the end of September the plants looked like they would in a normal garden the end of May. Loud Boy knows his gardening! The last few years in Bountiful we mainly had a pumpkin patch. It was so much easier to maintain. Sounds fun working with the surly teenager and husband. What a fun Saturday. It's obvious that women can make things happen if there is a strong enough will.
Thanks for the advice, Mike! I'll work in clusters. I didn't even think about pumpkins. The gardening guru in my ward wrote everything down that I need to make a garden work in Riverton soil, so hopefully it will be ok.
I know what you mean about too much info Mandi. I had to have her write down specifically what I need, otherwise I would be lost.
Dad - I think you're right about having another Pam & Randy. It's good to know that if I'm just a big pain in the a-- long enough, I will just get what I want later in life. What a relief. haha - you were always good at the gardening -that's why I wanted to do it. The carrotts out of the Bountiful garden were the best!
This is hysterical. You will have to post a picture of the garden when it looks good. Our back patio at our apartment has about 3 feet by 10 feet of soil and I can't even keep up with the yardwork for some reason. When Jackson is napping the last thing I want to do it weed. You will make a great gardener!!
Who are you calling a pain in the a--??
heheheheheheheh
Come on Christine, you need to make a Zen Garden in your 3 X 10. Gardening is good for the soul.
Pam, I think Jaime may have been referring to you, but I'm not sure. I have surely been a pain many times, but it was usually something social or rearranging furniture.
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