In a way, the last entry revealed the anticipation of the unknown as one of gardening's greatest joys. And it's true that the wait to see how a strain of vegetable new to your garden is going to produce is equally exciting and rewarding. Yet, at the same time, the uncertainty inherent to the unknown and the duration that it must be endured also underwrites my greatest struggle as a gardener. While patience is most certainly a virtue, this virtue is exceedingly difficult to obtain in the garden.
I would be willing to bet that if you have planted carrots then you know exactly what I am getting at. With this year marking my first attempt at carrot growing, the anticipation is murderous. Envisioning that deep oran
ge and crisp delicacy, I find myself tormented daily by the fact that I can't see how big they are! So, you know the routine....each day I'm sticking my finger down into the dirt around their stems, carefully probing and digging until I can see the orange tops of the roots. But this glimpse of orange only makes matters worse, as I now know growth is taking place but have no idea how much. And my carrot growing mind takes off: Is it ready? I should just pull one and see.... No, wait a couple of more weeks and make sure....If you pull it you can't put it back. Oh the indecision!
ge and crisp delicacy, I find myself tormented daily by the fact that I can't see how big they are! So, you know the routine....each day I'm sticking my finger down into the dirt around their stems, carefully probing and digging until I can see the orange tops of the roots. But this glimpse of orange only makes matters worse, as I now know growth is taking place but have no idea how much. And my carrot growing mind takes off: Is it ready? I should just pull one and see.... No, wait a couple of more weeks and make sure....If you pull it you can't put it back. Oh the indecision!Well today, my patience ran out. I just had to know.
