If you had told me a few years ago that I’d ever suffer from planting envy, I would have called you crazy. Planting? Envy? Whatever.
But now it’s been more than a year since I crouched down in my very own plot of land and said goodbye to the plants. (I realize that very act makes me appear to have a firm hold on The Crazy, but I was pretty sure they weren’t going to get nearly as much love as soon as I drove out of Iowa City.)
Now we’re firmly into another growing season. Fruits and vegetables I saw last year at this time in the markets are cycling back around. And it’s starting to irritate the hell out of me. On Twitter, on the garden blogs I follow, at work, it doesn’t really matter. I’m confronted by everyone else’s upbeat and smiley optimism about planting and growing and eating out of their yard.
I realize that I have had options presented to me that would allow me to plant something. I’ve turned them down, for the most part, for reasons I’ll get into later this coming week. And I realize I’ve flown somewhere around 15,000 miles since the middle of March, and all that flying and stopping in those other places takes time, time which would have seriously detracted from garden preparation and planting and all that jazz.
But pardon me if I’m just a bit cranky. It’s almost tomato-planting time in Oakland, and unless something miraculous happens, I’m going to get left out of the home-grown tomato situation for another year. I’d never have predicted this would leave me irritable and petulant, but I’m a very different woman than I was when this whole gardening thing got underway.
on May 24th, 2009 at 6:28 am
I do feel your pain! I can’t imagine not being able to have a garden, but I confess that when I read on Twitter about your socializing and flying around the country, that sounds like a fun life too! How to have it all, that’s the dilemma for each of us isn’t it?
on May 24th, 2009 at 7:33 am
I know what you mean: but with non-edible gardens. Yesterday, the hottest day yet, David and I dug up 3 azaleas that a friend I met thru gardening is donating to my “fill in a naked acre with no money” project ( this is year 2 ). Today my friend Maria, my garden coach, and I are going to a large nursery and she’s buying us a magnolia tree for our wedding present. Then we’ll plant that and the other six trees/shrubs that I got at the Horticulture Society ( to which I BELONG ) sale!
I will confess I bought 5 herbs, 6 basil seedlings, 1 heirloom tomato and 4 banana pepper plants yesterday at the farmer’s market ( David handles the food garden). Nothing like walking outside and yanking something off a plant to eat! Travel would be a fab substitute.
on May 24th, 2009 at 10:07 am
I would feel kinda guilty… although life is much more earwigs and mites here, rather than sunshine and roses.
on May 24th, 2009 at 11:20 am
Wish I could send you some Genie. I have 7 plants out there. Here’s hope for next year!
on May 25th, 2009 at 7:58 am
If you were closer I’d give you a bunch of my tomato plants. You’ll just have to garden vicariously through others. At least you can get fresh local food at a local farmer’s market and you don’t have to resort to grocery store produce.
on May 26th, 2009 at 6:09 am
Kalyn, it’s true…choosing one thing always means not choosing another!
Gwen, that’s an impressive planting plan! I love the idea of your filling the acre without spending much on it — that’s really cool.
Anita, that is true…the only thing worse than not having a garden at all is having one that is being eaten down by earwigs. Gaah.
Ree, fingers crossed!
Chiot’s Run, you’re absolutely right — I have GREAT farmer’s markets here.