One garden job I am not particularly fond of is thinning. I am not sure if it is because it is tedious. But probably not, as I enjoy many forms of tedious handwork such as embroidery and knitting. Perhaps I don't enjoy it because I have to make constant decisions; shall this plant stay or go, how far apart shall I leave the little shoots, and the big one ~ each plant I pull means certain death. Now that last reason truly doesn't make a lot of sense because we are growing the vegetables to eat anyway right? But in another way I am denying that little plant the opportunity to become all it can be. Oh, probably I am philosophizing way too much about these little plants of mine.
I have been enjoying having the littles in the garden with me this year. Even Abraham, at two, seems to understand which plant to weed and which to let grow to provide food for us.
After some quick instruction by his sister Sarah, who is the supreme weeder in our family, he has been doing a terrific job of weeding.
Finally, we brought in many truck fulls (read moving back seat forward in our old Suburban, putting a tarp down and piling the compost on top of the tarp) of beautiful composted manure - wonderful black stuff. Well several weeks ago I noticed something from the squash family growing in the middle of my unplanted garden. I just knew it was meant to be there and there was no way I would pull it out.
This is what it looks like now, but it is still a mystery... such fun to wait and see what it will produce.
Warm wishes, Tonya
thinning disturbs me, too. ;) it is so joyous to see the little plants grow from seed and then you just rip some of them out?! i want them all to live, darn it! ;)
ReplyDeleteOh my Tonya! We have the exact same thoughts about thinning! I don't like to be the one who decides which plant lives and which one doesn't. See, I can't even say it. Who I am to decide? Why can't this plant versus another have a chance too?
ReplyDeleteMaybe the mystery plant is a pumpkin, cucumber or watermelon. That sure narrows it down right? :) Have a great day!
i'm not a fan of thinning either...it kills me when i have to do it..hah i'm forcing myself to become more fearless with it because in the long run it does produce better plants, but still...;)
ReplyDeletei love volunteers! sometimes they work and sometimes they don't, but they are always fun!
everything looks great!
peace!
I love mystery plants Tonya, they alyays tend to emerge somewhere in the compost heap and then a few months later we have a pumpkin vine!
ReplyDeleteHappy weeding!
I don't think you're overphilosophizing! I was just talking about it with my kids yesterday, and I've thought it every time I thin every year I've gardened. Thinning seems like such a waste--all those little plants that sprang to life just to be plucked from the ground! This year I tried to plant some things so that they wouldn't need to be thinned.
ReplyDeletepumpkin?? I'm in the process of growing some - can't wait to see if they make it through the heat of the desert summer. Anyway, looks like pumpkin to me!
ReplyDeleteOh Tonya, I am laughing because my husband and I were having this exact discussion the other day- how I hate thinning because it feels so counterproductive- so destructive! Even though as you are doing it, you know it is the healthiest thing to do for the plants. :)
ReplyDeleteOh my, it'll be fun to see what the mystery plant is.
I know. I feel the same. I'm not fond of thinning at all.
ReplyDeleteTrudy
www.artisticcreationswithtrudy.blogspot.com
Just posted about thinning myself. It helps being able to give them to my bunnies & I don't feel so bad. As for your vine plant- I don't know for sure but keep an eye on it. We have one that I always leave it the ground because it looks like a pumpkin but it never does much of anything but take over everything else.
ReplyDeletePumpkin gets a vote from me! Acorn squash or butternut, maybe??
ReplyDeleteThinning is hard for me because I want them all to live and prosper! LOL
oooh a mystery plant! how exciting!
ReplyDeleteLol! I just showed my hubby this post. I said, "See, I'm not the only crazy who thinks this way!" I feel they are not fulfilling their "plant destiny." He smiled at me. He knows! I always try to save the good ones and replant them. We have now a yard of renegade plants just popping up all around, in the grass, everywhere. Even my neighbors have a taste of our gardens in theirs. I just love to see things growing! Good luck with your mystery. I'll have to take some pics of ours!! *Blessings*
ReplyDeleteThinning seedlings is one of the MOST painful tasks in the garden. It pains me to thin...I think it's the "potential" of all those little seedlings...and then just having to toss it all aside! *oh*
ReplyDeleteI'm putting it off for another week!!
:)
maureen
I think for me I don't like deciding which plant should live and which plant should die when I thin. It seems such a negative task, certain death and all... ;)
ReplyDeleteSo sweet...
ReplyDeleteI remember the first year I planted spinach and lettuce. I mistakingly pulled all the sprouts thinking they were weeds (blushing). Although we had a healthy crop of clover that year!!
I am pleased I hardly have to thin at all as I use the Square foot gardening method.
ReplyDeleteI hate thiniing too! This year I skipped the task in my lettice bed and it all grew, to big, beautiful ( a bit crowed!) lettice heads, it seemed to not affect the heads for some reason! I love getting the kids involved in gardening your little one looks so cute! Hmmm mystry plant? I love it!
ReplyDelete~Samantha
We get a lot of mystery curcurbits each year. Unfortunately, most don't amount to much (enormous, mealy zukes or thin-skinned, bland acorn squashes). But I know, it's so hard to pull something that could be FOOD!
ReplyDeleteI am terrible about thinning because it seems such a shame to remove a living little plant. Often my mistake in not doing so, though.
ReplyDeleteWe get lots of volunteers this year. I have counted at least 20 volunteer tomatoes this year as well as half a dozen squash? cucumber? melon? plants!
Nicola