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For the Love of Gardening

My Trials and Tribulations

By Nicole "ChaseThePen" SanchezPublished 4 years ago 5 min read
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CubanI used to live in an apartment on a busy road in the middle of town. My neighbors were a weatherization building, car dealership, hairdresser, and an architect's office. There were perks to it though, namely a nice front porch which I filled with plants every summer. While my current residence is not permanent, I do have access to some land in which to test my green thumb.

The Dream

I've always been fascinated with growing plants. Growing up my yard was filled with lush garden beds, both food and flower types. We had a greenhouse and a warm Pennsylvania summer to enjoy the fruits of our labors. I spent six years wandering to various apartments and towns before I made Kingston my longest home since my childhood. There I filled my little porch with full, flowery hanging baskets and the banister with window boxes and containers. As time went on, I tried to grow my own vegetables as well, with mixed results, but I was still restricted to growing in containers and to my little porch.

Land is the key. One day we'll actually settle down and I want enough land to grow to my heart's content. I want beautiful shrubs around my house, shady trees (hopefully some fruit bearing), with a greenhouse and ample land for growing crops. Will I be able to sustain myself? Maybe? Probably if I plan accordingly. But the more important part is to grow something and add more beauty to my world and plate in an eco-friendly manner. I want to do my part in keeping the world green and sustainable. If I can do it and make my home more beautiful, all the better.

For now, I have the space immediately outside the camper to play with. I still have my original oregano which has survived long years in a pot and now the South Carolina sun is treating it well. The shutdown allowed me to play with some of the other land though. I cleared out some of the land and we have plans for more, but poison ivy shut me down for a bit.

Why Garden?

Not only do I have a pretty place to look at when I go outside (and some yummy herbs to enhance my food), but I have the joy of knowing that I did it. Some of the work was extremely tiring, but a lot of it wasn’t and digging my hands into the earth just felt good. I gardened with a wonderful backdrop of chirping birds on warm sunny days. Some of those days were too warm (especially when I had to switch to long, protective sleeves), but being outside and turning the area from a jumble of weeds that I’m allergic to into the beginnings of a beautiful garden was just all around enjoyable. It also just feels good to interact with the natural world around me.

The Mistakes

Now, I definitely made some mistakes along the way. First up was the poison ivy. I forgot to check and almost two months later, I still have slight marks and scars on my arms. Hopefully the scars won't last too long because they seem pretty shallow. Button line: BEWARE OF POISON IVY. I wore gloves, but it wasn’t enough. I can’t imagine how awful it would have been if I’d gotten it on my hands too. I ended up needing to wear long sleeves and some neck coverings as well. I am highly susceptible, but a lot of people are allergic to it to some extent. So, watch out.

I also put down my mulch too early. I had thought that I wouldn't be able to get more plants this year, so I finished up and spread my mulch. Bad idea. I got a few more and had to be careful not to get dirt all over my mulch and mulch in my new holes.

My last mistake was some plant choices. I accidentally bought an annual when I was shooting for perennials. If you want your plants to come back year after year, you have to do your research. Some of that is as simple as reading the labels properly. I wanted herbs on the edges to easily gather for cooking and plants that attract butterflies and hummingbirds in the center because not only are the flowers beautiful, but so are the creatures they attract. So, I bought a butterfly bush. First, I didn't realize how big these get (lack of tag reading) and don't have a place to put it, at least not yet. Then I did more research online about how invasive the species can be and now I don't even want to plant it. Like I said, do your research first.

I also bought a day lily as a spur of the moment purchase. I saw it and fell in love. Lilies are a weakness of mine. It's a beautiful flower and when it bloomed, I was thrilled, but then it wilted by the second day. It happened with the second and third buds too. Number four made it two days, which is an improvement, but still not what I want in my plants. I haven't figured out why yet, but unless it improves next year, I'll be skipping out on purchasing it again.

Lastly, I should have done a bit more research on my cuban oregano. While I knew that I should stay away from mint, I figured this one would be like the other one that I’ve had. Man, does this thing spread. I do not eat enough oregano for this.

Cuban Oregano

So, I now have a cute little garden bed to brighten my day when I go outside. Next year I'll expand some more and get some plants to feed the little caterpillars, but I have time and more weeds to clear. I have plans for another bed, this one with blackberries, and a fire pit area that will be great if it ever dips below 70 degrees again.

Remember, to check out the chainmaille shop while you’re here. Also, I just released a short story that takes place in the fantasy world that I have created: Asaldium. Download it for free.

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About the Creator

Nicole "ChaseThePen" Sanchez

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