I didn’t have the heart to kill them off, so I dug out my lights and heat mat and set up an Intensive Tomato Care unit. And while I was at it, I got some Asian Trio Eggplant and Baby Belle Peppers started to keep them company and give encouragement.
By April the babies were thriving and getting quite big, so I moved them all to the old greenhouse at the close-in farm where I board my horses and there’s lots of rich composted manure to nourish greedy growing teenage tomatoes. I had no trouble finding eager adoptive homes for all but two that I saved for myself. Things were looking promising for a big crop of luscious heirlooms.
Mother Nature played her tricks on us again however and the promises of a great garden season were dashed with our worst May in memory – unending cold and rain - a gardener’s nightmare. Early planted seeds rotted, seedlings sulked, the ground saturated. My poor garden looks bare and very sad indeed.
But we Western Washington gardeners are a tough, determined, and some would say delusional bunch, always grasping at the elusive but tantalizing possibility of still getting enough sun and heat in the summer to coax a harvest of our own heat-loving veggies rather than relying on imports from our Southern brethren. So despite all odds, I planted my tomatoes out on a deceptively warm dry weekend. Time will tell – but I have a feeling these two have what it takes to make it, despite their difficult childhood, and I am rooting for them…..
So on this wet and grey Memorial Day, I can only look back at this photo of my lovely tomatoes from last year's glorious summer and remember that, for gardeners, there's always next year.
5 comments:
I have had such a great experience with Renee's Garden seed! I look forward to buying most of my seeds from her again! I am also participating in the Grow project! I can not say enough about her Fabulous seeds! I have recomended her seeds to so many people! Happy Gardening!
Sue, this is a great blog post. I love it when seeds and plants do things they "aren't" suppose to and force us to take care of them.
Great story. Hope the weather improves.
Chrystel
www.chrystelspotager.blogspot.com
Sue says "thank you" to everyone. :)
I hear you, Seattle. I live in Central Oregon, and yesterday was the first 79 degree weather we have had. My tomato plants are very slow in the garden, while the one in the kitchen window is healthy and ready to be transplanted. It just seems like everything is taking some time to grow this spring. Last year was wonderful, minus some hail storms, but my plants really took off strong.
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