- Author: Cheryl A Potts
Either I am getting old and tired or I am coming to my senses, as this year I am putting in a very small vegetable garden. The usual five or six tomato plants have been replaced with two purchased plants and one, yes only one, growing from one tiny seed I sowed directly into the ground as a whim. A few carrots, a few beans, a few peas, a combination of greens for the morning smoothie and afternoon salads, and some herbs. That's it!
This summer I shall be free of begging my neighbors to take some more zucchini. This year I will not scratch my head till it hurts wondering why I planted all that kohlrabi. This year I will not tire of looking up new squash recipes. I will no longer be that woman dragging a bag of corn to the book club meeting. At last I will not despair over having eggplant as I have never even liked egg plant. And this is the year the grandchildren will not run from me when they see me coming, as I will not be bringing them bags of tomatoes, which they claim to hate. (I cannot convince them it is only because they have not tasted a good tomato. The grocery store nor McDonald's carry them.)
I do not can nor freeze my vegetables, as I prefer buying or picking fresh in season. So I have come to realize it is silly for me to have rows upon rows of green beans. I now have just enough to enjoy and not tire of. In the past I have had large patches of radishes. About five radishes per season is really enough for me, so the radish patch is out. I use very little green pepper so eight pepper plants is ridiculous. (Yes, I know they are good for me, full of vitamin C, but...)
Do not think that I do not believe in sharing. I think sharing is very important. It is good to take a few extra goodies to the food bank or homeless shelter. It is nice to show up at an occasion with a platter of outrageously great tasting tomatoes sprinkled with a nice olive oil and crumpled feta cheese instead of the proverbial macaroni salad, but enough is enough. We, well, me, tend to over-plant. Our eyes are bigger than what we need or even want. I have yet to hear a fellow garden claim. "Oh, my goodness! I am out of zucchini!" Have you?
Save water, your back, your money, your time, and your relationships with your neighbors. Plant what you want and what you like, but plant sensibly for your needs, not the economic needs of the seed catalog people.