Comments on: My Least Favorite Primary Song

By: Eirol

Eirol — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 04:19:48 +0000

I have ONE success! My yard is parched dirt. But I love fresh green beans. My old neighbor happens to have a large, fertile flower patch to which he pays scant attention except to irrigate weekly. One day early each spring, after he has planted his usual marigolds and begonias, I will watch for his car to be gone, I plant my sproutlings between his flowers and poke in one of those little fertilizer sticks near each plant. Then I ever-so-kindly pull a few weeds from his garden whenever I pass by. He thinks I’m such a nice neighbor! Actually, I’m just preventing him from pulling up my beans should he ever decide to weed his patch. By mid July his garden looks green and bushy. With his bad eyesight, he doesn’t recognize the bush-beans between his marigolds and begonias, and while I weed, I pick my beans. I get a couple of pints a week, keep his garden weeded, and what nobody knows, nobody can complain about. (But am I a crook?)

By: Wendy

Wendy — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:26:53 +0000

Our garden thrived when dh was in charge of watering. I have a goal to be a good gardener someday. In the mean time, I am secretly grateful for the Japanese Beetle related gardening restrictions. Last year we couldn’t grow one and this year the restrictions make it too inconvenient.

Someday . . . !!

By: Arianne

Arianne — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 07:19:36 +0000

I’ve tried and tried too. I even tried the ever-so-easy Square Foot Garden. I bought the best seeds, read the book, built the squares…did everything just as it said. the first year, nothing grew. turns out the black plastic I used under the squares rotted the roots. So I switched it to gardening cloth the second year, and still most didn’t grow. I give up! I know it would be good to have fresh veggies if the worst comes to the worst, but I just can’t make things grow!!!

By: angie f

angie f — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 02:37:05 +0000

Living in the desert, even if I’d had a knowledge of gardening where I grew up (big IF), it would be useless here, where there are 2 growing seasons and I’m supposed to have most things in the ground no later than St. Patrick’s Day (or so they tell me) or they will be fried. I have tried a few things and met my match in the tomato horn worm. Since my run in with them, I just can’t muster the courage to even look further than the seed packets. And if ever I think, just maybe this time . . . it’s usually after the 17th of March and “too late” anyway. I do know the song (we went through a “primary CDs in the car phase”) and must admit I have cringed on more than one occasion, but also because my 90yr old grandmother has only recently given up cultivating her 1/2 acre garden. I feel like I’m the broken link in the chain!

By: Jia

Jia — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:52:27 +0000

I’m one of those that wants to garden, but doesn’t know where to even begin.

I’m also one of those that if I don’t know the primary song, I skip it! LOL!

By: Dalene

Dalene — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 22:35:48 +0000

I’m a great gardener!

Until early July.

Then I too succumb to the heat and the weeds take over.

That said, this year I am trying to do better. I’m dreaming of a vine-ripened tomato and fresh salsa that didn’t cost an arm and a leg or was pulled from the shelves because of Salmonella.

By: Red

Red — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:11:35 +0000

I love those seed catalogs (so seductive!) and have tried gardening, but my ambition is always greater than my skill and attention span. The seeds and plants end up being a waste of money: so now I resist and spend a little extra (the money I would have spent on seeds) on organic heirloom tomatoes and fresh green beans from the local market. I tell myself that if I was truly dependent on my garden my attention would be better focused!

By: Les

Les — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:36:32 +0000

I too am lured in by the beatific seed packets and catalogues, I dutifully plant, but then neglect. Usually I only yield a handful of peas, enough basil to make one pasta dish, 3 flowers and a woefully undersized pumpkin. This year- I vowed to greater diligence, however one week after transplanting my sprouted seeds I found my children tearing the leaves from them (in the name of deadheading) and ripping them from the ground (weeding). I diligently follow the prophet to plant one- however the promise of the harvest eludes me (hmm kind of like missionary work – I just keep planitng those seeds- maybe its the tough climate here in new england_ LOL)

By: Lisa

Lisa — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:23:31 +0000

Elizabeth-w–You are the best!

By: Justine

Justine — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:22:42 +0000

I fall victim to those alluring seed catalogs, too. But I’ve never once gotten anything remotely close to the picture or description they provide.

I am undaunted, however. Each spring brings with it the dawning of my new hopes — hopes that this year will be the year I figure it out. I’ve gotten better at some things, and I guess I’ll have it all down pat about the time that I’m too old to do anything about it.