When you live in the Midwest, America's breadbasket, you feel more in tune with the seasons. The cycle of nature is repeated year after year. New growth springs forth from the earth, matures during the summer months, is harvested in the autumn, and finally dies or goes into dormancy through the long hard winter.
Here in South Florida, the seasons are not quite that noticeable. For instance right now, in April, the mahogany tree is losing it's leaves and our back yard looks like autumn in Chicago. Then again it is also spring, because the mahogany tree sprouts it's new leaves even as the old ones are dropping off the branches. If I had known this I would have never planted the damn thing.
Up north, the farmers are out plowing and planting the fields in preparation for another growing season. It is kind of like that here at our house. Mark is out in the yard busily planting his garden or as I like to call it, "Mark's death march for plants". Every year Mark plants a nice container garden, mostly tomatoes, some flowers, herbs, and sometimes peppers. Even though we get a few tomatoes out of it, usually within a month the plants are gasping their last breath. By June, the flowers are dried up, and the tomatoes are in a death sprial. I swear to god that when we walk through the garden department at Home Depot, the plants cringe. If they had legs, they would run at the sight of Mark shopping for his victims.
It's not that growing plants is so hard here, it never freezes, and it normally rains a lot. Mark's problem are the times when the rain doesn't come. During the nine months of high heat, the plants need to be watered, sometimes twice daily. Unfortunately it often slips his mind, what with shopping and all. On those occasions where I wander into the back yard and notice the poor things wilting in the tropical heat, I do pull out the hose and give them a squirt. It does not really help.
Yes, it is the circle of life. Mark buys the plants, Mark plants the plants, Mark forgets to water the plants, and Alan throws out the dead plants.
Yep, that's Mar; I witnessed it for 13 years. I would care for the plants when you would travel. I swear I heard the plants say thank you when I would come out into the yard and go for the hose. Maybe you should get some of those glass watering bulbs they advertise on TV, but then again, who would fill them up?
ReplyDeleteIf you save your receipts from Home Depot or Lowes, I believe they will replace your plants for free if they die within a year. You'll need to bring the dead ones back though instead of throwing them out.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's so much the time factor....I think they just lose interest in the plants. Go for plastic ones then!!!
ReplyDeleteMark would never go for plastic plants. Silk maybe, but not plastic.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't it just irk you when someon has to always have the last word or comment in every one of Alan's blog commentary?
ReplyDelete