My Green Thumb

It's late. That's how it goes some days. I've spent most of my day today, of all things, gardening. You need to know that I am not naturally a gardener. I can barely tell an azalea from a zinnea, a vegetable from a fruit, a herb from a weed. In truth, my ex-wife was the gardener, one of her talents that I continue to admire. She could take all these plants and work them into something beautiful. Mine? The would mostly die.

I'm hoping that won't happen to me this year. I'm hoping the hanging baskets and herb garden and tomato plant and pepper plant all survive my clumsy hand. I'm hoping the ledge baskets will thrive in spite of my inability to know what one is from the other. I am putting my faith in those who help me, regular watering, and the power of nature.

I cannot give a real reason why I want a garden on my balcony this year. I've not had one in years past. I've spent my summers doing things that took me away from my apartment, busy with social activities and road trips. This year won't be all that different. I am away for a couple of weeks in June, with other plans for a variety of short trips in July and August. On top of that I am expecting visitors during that time, a time far too busy for me to fuss over a garden.

The need for a volunteer gardener has been noted in previous entries to this blog. Well things just got real. I apparently have a balcony filled with members of the Kingdom Plantae, all needing loving care and attention. This is not one of my skills.

So far, today, I have managed to put together the Herb Garden. This involves the potting of five plants from the nursery. I setup the hanging herb basket, filled it with moistened potting soil, and transferred the plants from their nursery pots into the herb garden basket. Yay!! I am a gardener. The hanging baskets are up. I've put the tomato and pepper plants against the far wall of the balcony with a fancy metal trellis behind them. Next comes the four rail mounted potting frames.

Of course none of this would happen without the extensive help of so many people. Dion helped me pick the plants. Anisa helped me modify the rail boxes so they would fit on the rails. Anne helped me with positioning the pepper and tomato plants, along with hanging the hanging baskets. She also set me up to do the Herb Garden.

Let's see what tomorrow brings. More gardening I suspect. I cannot do this quickly, but I can do it. That's what matters.