Growing Pains

In The Garden

I had to go out today and buy some plants for the garden, much to my chagrin.  I had started my tomato seeds a while ago, and had them under a twice a day grow light cycle.  They were doing great, and I started putting them outside for a few hours.  Then, my dog tipped over the planter, completely upside down.  The smaller ones were crushed under the dirt, and the larger, thicker ones broke under the pressure.  I think one might have been salvageable.  Then, I think I got them too much sun and the leaves started drying out.

So, off to Lowe's today.  I picked up four nice heirloom seed tomato plants, about 14-18 inches tall already with good thick stems.  I also got six strawberry plants to replace the strawberry root wad things that I planted a couple weeks ago.  A couple of the plants are already showing small berries.  I got two jalapeno plants (a first for me) and two sweet baby watermelon plants (also a first).  They'll all go in the ground tomorrow after Easter lunch at the in-laws'.  I'll get my cuke, summer squash and zucchini seeds in the ground tomorrow also.  My lettuces and carrots are coming up nicely.  I'll also get my cold frame taken off tomorrow.  Should be a good garden this year.

A funny side note about the sweet baby watermelons.  Back in the countdown to Y2K, I was in a rented old farmhouse on 200 acres with three other guys.  Two were short term, but one was and is one of my best friends.  Our landlord brought us over two sweet babies from his garden one day and we put them in the fridge with the intent of one being mine and one Chip's.  I've never been a big watermelon fan, but a couple days later I decided to try mine.  Chip was off at work.  That thing was so delicious, that I not only ate mine, but his as well.  Twelve years later, he still brings up the fact that I ate his sweet baby.  If I get any production from my plants, I'll take one by his house and drop it off, just to get him to hush up about it.