Many of us who yesterday thought we were competent gardeners have been intimidated by the constant barrage of new facts and figures about insecticides, wet sprays, dry sprays, slug baits, weed eradicators, grass deterrents, plant vitamins—the list is endless.
And there seems to be a conspiracy afoot to mechanize us right out of our own backyards.
Modern Techniques in Gardening
All it used to take—and I hold that it still does—is a green thumb, dirty fingernails, and a strong back, plus, of course, a lot of confidence, faith in God and the weather, and a love for all things green and growing.
From time to time, I wander through the maze of information available to gardeners, trying to absorb details of modern techniques—with rather indifferent success, I fear.
But, despite my ignorance, I have had a surprising amount of success with plants and flowers.
The Pleasure of Gardening
What’s more, I get a great deal of pleasure from what seems to be regarded, these days, as rather unorthodox gardening methods.
My introduction to the pleasures of gardening was at age five when my father gave me a handful of carrot seeds.
He carefully showed me how to prepare the soil and sow my seeds in straight rows.
The carrots came up despite daily excavations, although I must admit the rows meandered a bit from left to right.
My Vegetable Garden
In fact, although I sow in the approved way, my vegetables—rugged individualists everyone—still come up any way they please, and crooked rows seem to have become my trademark.
My husband insists that he would recognize a vegetable garden of mine anywhere.
I like vegetables, although I really haven’t room for them. My friends have become used to seeing tomatoes amongst my sweet William and Brussels sprouts in the petunia patch.
I find scarlet runner beans are as good for shade on the terrace as they are for eating, and there is nothing to equal the beauty of parsley growing in a window box.
Shaggy Garden At Times
My garden looks a bit shaggy at times, and I feel duty-bound to do some pruning, although I am not sure that “pruning” adequately describes what I do.
Time and again, I have wrestled with books on the subject, but I don’t seem to be able to master the intricacies of the art.
I can never remember whether to cut back to three or five leaves on a rose nor find a lateral branch on a grapevine.
When I tried to prune the book, a double lilac failed to bloom, the roses reverted to briar, and we had no plums for two years.
Method of Pruning
Dismayed, I returned to my tried-and-true pruning method when the shears were sharp, letting branches fall as they may.
I like to change the locations of flowers in beds and borders when the fever to transplant is upon me, and even move shrubs and trees regardless of the season.
My gardening friends always predict an early demise for the uprooted but are usually disappointed.
It never seems to occur to anyone but me that a plant might become bored with its surroundings and welcome a change to new ground.
My Favorite Time Of The Year
Spring is my favorite time of year. Watching the bulbs poke through the ground is fascinating, and finding out which plants survived the cold weather or my fall pruning.
I mourn in secret those who did not. Then, in my impatience for spring’s arrival, I rush out on the first warm day in February and recklessly sow about a dozen packets of seeds.
This is a mistake, of course, but it satisfies that rites-of-spring feeling and does seem to bring spring nearer.
When the weather is truly settled, I am more conservative and sow my second planting with a less prodigal hand.
Use Of Fertilizers
Experts advise the liberal use of fertilizers in spring, and I am all for it. But I do not hold with chemical fertilizers exclusively and, without access to manure, turn to the compost heap as a source of plant nourishment.
So far, it has proved adequate for the needs of my plants.
If I work hard in spring and always do, my garden rewards me with a colorful summer.
By then, the pain in my back is only a memory, my broken fingernails are growing, and the calluses on my hands have all but disappeared.
Slugs and Aphids
Experts advise the liberal use of fertilizers in spring, and I am all for it. But I do not hold with chemical fertilizers exclusively and, without access to manure, turn to the compost heap as a source of plant nourishment.
So far, it has proved adequate for the needs of my plants.
If I work hard in spring and always do, my garden rewards me with a colorful summer.
By then, the pain in my back is only a memory, my broken fingernails are growing, and the callouses on my hands have all but disappeared.
Kind Of Gardener
Anyone can be my kind of gardener. My grandfather used to say that plants were like children.
Give them good food and loving care, and they will repay you a hundredfold in joy and beauty.
Of course, grandfather talked to his flowers which I don’t do. People might think me a bit odd. I just sing to myself.
44659 by Helene B. Grant