A View From the Potting Shed

It was a cooler, less humid weekend. This is Minnesota so we know these weather breaks are short lived (there’s a predicted high of 95 F today), so that’s all the more reason to appreciate the good times by being outside as much as possible.

Steve and I headed for the Minneapolis Farmer’s Market around 6:30 AM, thinking this would be plenty early and we would miss the crowds. I’ve never been to the market before, which is kind of weird and an indication that I need to get out more often.

Now that I’ve been there, I know a few things that I will do differently next time:

• Leave home no later than 6 AM.
• Go for the breakfast burrito rather than the pastries.
• Put the 18-55 mm lens on my camera. There’s not enough room in the isles and too many people to try and take photos from a distance.
• If I want to buy something, buy it. Do not say, “I’ll come back later for that.” as more than likely I will never find the desired item again, even if I walk down every isle several times. There must be magical appearing and disappearing booths at the market.

I bought this flat of herbs and flowers for $20 from a woman mainly because I liked her. You have to admire a woman who is trying to set up and sell her plants with the assistance of her grandchildren, who had put out the wrong labels by the plants. There are Morning Glories, Moonflower, and Grandpa Otts vines in the mix as I’m hoping to add trellises and climbing vines to my yard.

As I walked around the market, I kept wondering, “How can this be?” How are all these people producing this bounty of mature vegetables when my plants are just getting blossoms?

I was hoping this summer’s garden would be different. I was really hoping for lettuce. So much work! So discouraging, especially when I see the fruits of other’s labor actually fruiting!

I mean look at this sad cauliflower seedling! It’s so small, I can’t even focus on it (that’s my excuse anyway).

Victim of a rabbit me thinks — as are my onions (all gone), chives (chewed to nubs), and lettuce. Hopefully, next weekend there will be time to put up rabbit proof netting.

And my radishes… anyone can grow radishes! Right?! Once again this year, all I have is leaves and no radishes. I’m trying to think somewhat positively and assume I have some bad seeds that I will replace with something new. If I can’t grow radishes and my zuccinni fails again (another ‘anyone can grow it’ plant) then alas, all is lost…

Gardening is one of those things where you better enjoy the process as the end result may not be all that you were hoping for.

I can reseed some of the things I’ve lost, and protect what remains unscathed. Go tomatoes!