Wayward Seeds
Plants just have a mind of their own. I'm not totally given up ever having a vegetable or flower garden, but can declare this year a pretty big bust. I won't say fail because I'm learning a bit so maybe next year can improve. The lessons cost me $12 in seeds and $25 in dirt. Oh, and the $14 for more mature pepper and tomato plants will end up yielding two peppers and probably about 8 useable tomatoes. A tad bit of mixed positive and poor results was the leafy lettuce. One of the planters while it took longer, keeps yielding fresh leaves. The other I think over crowded so not getting the full leaves, but a lot of growth. Between the two, I had enough for a big salad every other week and in between, enough for sandwiches since the end of June.
Here's my stupid garden story. I was getting excited as I started seeing flowering where the butternut squash and pumpkins were planted. I thought I had figured out what was plant and what was weed so did a nice tidy. When after a week, nothing seemed to change, I had a thought. Have I been nurturing weeds? 
I wanted to trust that the plants were just pokie as last year I got four, if not small, decent tasting acorn squash towards mid September. But, sure enough a Google Lens upload of this photo identified my growth as velvetleaf, an invasive species and likely it took over my healthy seeds. Links to Reddit confirmed this is a common rookie gardener mistake. My area was way to shady, and the good plants needed plenty of sun and lots of water. Velvetleaf thrived in the shade and the bouts of dry weather and high heat we've had.
I wanted to trust that the plants were just pokie as last year I got four, if not small, decent tasting acorn squash towards mid September. But, sure enough a Google Lens upload of this photo identified my growth as velvetleaf, an invasive species and likely it took over my healthy seeds. Links to Reddit confirmed this is a common rookie gardener mistake. My area was way to shady, and the good plants needed plenty of sun and lots of water. Velvetleaf thrived in the shade and the bouts of dry weather and high heat we've had.
Not all wayward seeds were my nemesis. You might remember the single little sunflower seeds I planted last year? I had received one of those tiny little clay planter kits with a pellet of dirt and plant food. I started it inside and moved it to a big pot. Here's how it looked last year. 
About the time it looked looked like the free peony plant I replanted from the Buy Nothing post ( along with several hostas and chive plants) was going to make it, I noticed another plant starting right by the garage. I suppose I dug up, or shifted dirt around and there were sunflower seeds that dropped from last year's plant. Here's my gift this year for absolutely no effort on my part!
I'm going to read up on how I can save the seeds at the end of summer and intentionally plant sunflowers next year. I think they'd be a wonderful surprise along the back of the fence, facing the park as people take walks or enjoy the park. I'd also love me to add them to the north side of the house, but maybe they'd not grow so easily there. If I just get another wayward plant from wayward seeds next year, that will make me happy too.
Your post made me think of something I read some years back, "Gardening is when you spend $60 on supplies in order to eventually achieve $6 worth of produce.."😄
ReplyDeleteOf course, gardening is a hobby that delivers pleasure separate from the end results, so I am joking. Hobbies are not strictly about payoff, they are about enjoyment. Which your surprise crop of sunflowers exemplifies beautifully! I am sure you will enjoy them immensely!
I'm not ready to call it quits as May got away from me and I didn't do proper prep, but I sure felt like that story.
DeleteOur plants are not doing well this year, but I blame the blooming groundhog, rabbits and the yard guy who ran over the green beans with his lawnmower.
ReplyDeleteI can blame squirrels. I know one likes to curl around a pepper plant.
DeleteI have been gardening (minor league) for years, grew up with parents and grandparents who gardened, and every season is STILL a running dialogue of "so why did THAT not work?" and "Whoa! Didn't expect that but I'll take it."
ReplyDeleteI learned about velvetleaf! I've got next spring to figure it out again...and the spring after that and so on.
DeleteI used to have terrible luck with peppers. My aunt then told me they take time and patience. Time in that I needed to wait in my area until after 6/10 to plant. Then I fertilize with epsom salt a month later. Then I pull any small peppers that set before the end of June. I now get more then I need. I think my fail years were about 12. Keep going.
ReplyDeleteI will tuck that information away for next summer.
DeleteWe've had some years at the allotment where lots of things have failed. It's been too hot, or too wet, or things have been eaten by pests, or stolen by human pests! But then we get happy surprises, like masses of sunflowers, or poppies or foxgloves, none of which we planted and they give us a boost. Last night we came home with onions, tomatoes, blackberries, raspberries and courgettes, despite not spending much time there this year. A lot of it is down to luck with the weather.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great bounty. My sunflower sure was a lovely surprise.
DeleteFood needs minimum 6 hours of full sun and it needs to be warmer so never count any time before 10am. The more sun the better!
ReplyDeleteMother Earth is a terrific resource. https://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/
I go here for any questions or concerns I have.
You can do it! I save a bloody fortune in my garden not having to buy organic foods at the Farmer's Market. I just buy what I don't want to grow :-) I choose not to mess with onions, garlic and I am an epic fail with carrots and beets. No idea why!
I can't see myself trying carrots. I'm going for the ones I crave all summer and the expensive ones like peppers.y daughter is getting a ton of zucchini and cucumbers but not sure anything else will make it.
DeleteSome success and a little bit of failure. I love the sunflowers! It sounds as though you've learned something though so maybe next year there will be a better harvest.
ReplyDeleteI've learned very little but more than I knew. Elles comment above makes a lot of sense. My back yard just might not get enough sun for long enough periods.
DeleteSo funny bc I planted sunflower seeds and they were a bust as was my tomato plants. My mustard greens have done all right and my rose bushes I planted in the spring are fabulous! Cindy in the South
ReplyDelete“Were”. Cindy in the South
DeleteThe sunflower seeds I actually planted did nothing. I'm hopefully the peony will make it.
DeleteWhat works one year, and rekindled my enthusiasm, is a total fail the following year. This year was almost a complete bust...
ReplyDeleteBut I did get some lettuce, anew radishes, a handful or two of peas and beans. Potatoes in tubs are the most reliable.
I'll call my little lettuce planters a sort of win. There's been salads so the seeds have been paid for.
DeleteWe have been nurturing a weed in a flower pot. At first, it looked familiar. Then, it did not. So, we had to destroy it as I suspected it was spreading seed! I felt foolish...lol.
ReplyDeletepractical parsimony
DeleteAnd you're a knowledgeable gardener. The weeds and plants look alike don't they, until full grown.
DeleteThis year was a bust for my garden too. I have to wonder if it was the lack of bees the experts have been talking about in the last few years. How neat about your sunflowers though! They are beautiful and will be a welcome blessing next summer too.
ReplyDelete