It seems like no matter where we live, we are always behind on the garden. With 5 kids running around, what we should be planting in January or February seems to end up April or never.
Yet even with a perfect start, you are still hoping that seed will grow. Right now, I have 15 varieties of plants ‘starting’ to grow for our garden. I can only say for sure that I will have tomato plants. Not much else has decided to grace us with its green presence.
But who says that these tomato plants will even produce a single tomato?
Many years ago, we planted TONS of tomato plants. And then we accidentally left the water on one night. The zucchini loved it. The tomatoes died. Every. Single. One.
Growing a garden is not guaranteed. Reaping a harvest is hope.
You are gambling on the seeds ability to grow, and your green thumb to help them survive. Sure, we can do things to help it along. Water them just right, add the perfect soil and fertilizer, grow tunnels to protect them from frost.
Until the harvest is in, we won’t know how we did. Or who shared the harvest with us (darn deer…)
Planting more than you think you need is the insurance policy. You can account for the 20% failure and still come out with enough to store for the future.
And when you have zucchini coming out of your ears, and all the tomatoes die, you get to know your neighbor to trade.
Gardening has its ups and downs. And it’s unlikely to produce everything we need perfectly. But with a little luck, and some kind neighbors, maybe we can all keep food on our tables in spite of rising gas costs.
Besides trading food is a great start on creating a tight-knit preparedness group to support each other.
What are you going to grow this year?