THE BEST

I probably mentioned a time, or maybe two that my Dad's dad was a gardener extraordinaire.

Grandaddy had the cleanest, most symmetrical, productive gardens I can ever remember seeing. His produce was delicious and county fair blue ribbon quality.

My Dad also liked to garden in his later years, but the scope and symmetry of his efforts were a bit scaled down. Still, his produce was delicious and nutritious.

Some things just don't pass genetically?

I planted a rather large garden (for me) in Wright City one time. As I recall, it included black eyed peas, corn, potatoes, okra and yellow squash. Near bout foundered trying to break the ground with Grandaddy's old one wheel push plow. The rows looked like they had been laid out by a drunk using a blind rented mule. The seed was haphazardly placed and forget fertilizer.

After planting I dutifully returned to Austin and hoped for "the best". Guess what, gardens don't do "the best" on their own. They take a lot of attention, work, and rain. This garden didn't get any of that.

In spite of inconsequential treatment, the garden managed to grow some ears of corn, a few peas, and some potatoes.

Came time to pull the ears of corn and I found that each time I wrapped my stubby fingers around an ear all the fire ants in America would boil out of the shucks and set fire to my butt (and other extremities). If I fought the ants long enough over an ear to get it shucked, the kernels were all gnawed by the little varmits!

Same with the potatoes. I would dig a shovel full and set off a fire ant nuclear bomb. What potatoes I could get close to looked like they had been hit by bird shot where the mound builders had feasted.

An on and on with nothing of note for my labors beyond frustration with the whole shebang.

Until now: Me and the bride have a lavish garden (four flower pots) growing on our back porch to include banana pepper, jalapeno pepper, and a tomato plant. They are abloom and growing like "weeds" with a dark green color to the foliage.

We are treating them like our children as we feed, water, and eagerly check their condition after work each day. We are holding our collective breath until the day we can enjoy the bounty of this repast.

Only thing is, I kinda seem to remember "cut" worms on tomato plants, some sort of "mite" thing that knocks the blooms off of pepper plants, fungus, drought, (FIRE ANTS!!) and about 40 other tribulations that make getting groceries at a store saner and more cost efficient?

I'll have to let my loyal reader(s?) know how this one comes out on another future day. Til then, invest in Amdro or Spectrocide stock and hope for "the best".