This is a venting post.
I am beginning to think maybe we weren't meant to keep a garden. We had horrible luck last year with our plants, so this year I made a brand new raised bed and filled it with extra-good garden soil. I've been pruning and watering and watching our little garden like crazy. Here is the result so far:
1. WHAT THE HECK?!
I go outside to water yesterday and find on of my lovely, healthy zucchini plans completely uprooted and laying next to the hole. Holy crap. I have no idea what happened, but I am very mad about it. Zucchini is the one plant in our garden that I actually like. Errrg. It almost looks like something chewed it from its roots, as the root system did was not attached to the plant--just a nub.
2. Beautiful big boy tomato...rotting on the vine??
This tomato has been growing nicely for a few weeks now and all of the sudden it is all rotten on the bottom!
3. Will our cucumbers always be this size?
Last year we planted small pickling cucumbers next to regular sized ones and the cross-pollinated. The result was small spherical cucumbers that looked rather funny. This year we only planted one variety of cucumber, a regular type, which is supposed to grow to 6-7" long. For some strange reason, though, they are not growing more than 3" in length!
I am really lost. Is it that hard to keep a garden? I haven't seen bugs on the plants (I planted a plethora of marigolds to ward most of them off). They are in good quality soil. I just don't know what I am doing wrong!
Sigh.
On a pleasanter note, my flowers are blooming nicely. :) I planted zinnias and black oil sunflowers (that's what I feed my goats, so I figured I'd plant some and see what happened). Not many made it past the sprout stage before becoming snail food, but the ones that did are looking very nice.
Ok, I'm going to sign off for now. Thanks for letting me vent. I always had this dreamy idea that I would get married, move out to the country, have a beautiful, bountiful backyard garden, and it would all be happiness and bliss. I am learning slowly that some of my daydreams have been a bit unrealistic. Well, I had to figure that out sooner or later! :p
~Bessie
5 comments:
Don't despair, gardening is a skill thats acquired over time... But if you need help check out the book called the Backyard Homestead. It's tons of practical and concise advise about gardening and farming on a small amount of land.... Super helpfull. Hope this helps and as we french canadians say: Bon Courage!
Thanks for the encouragement Rebecca! I actually think we might have that book. I'll have to go search the library. :D
If you live in the States, you can go to your county Cooperative Extension Office and get the info for gardening precisely where you are. The tomato has blossom end rot, a calcium deficiency made worse by irregular watering or too much water. (I am a Master Gardener through Cooperative Extension in Phoenix, AZ). You may benefit from a soil analysis to determine what the mix might need for nutrients, may be deficient in something else. Good luck!
Thanks for the great advice Cherie! Watering has been tough lately, as the temperatures have been around 100-105, with no rain for about a month. I water every morning, but by mid-day everything is just wilted. I think I will check with my extension office for gardening info. :)
You probably have gophers/moles/voles and that's why your zucchini was just laying there. There's not much that you can do about it, this year. But, next year, take out all the soil and line bottom and sides of your raised bed with chicken wire. This will keep the little critters from being able to eat your plants.
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