Garden Recap 2022

This year was the garden that wasn't.

I bought plants and seeds. Things grew. Some were picked, more rotted on the vine, and even more were stunted in potential due to lack of attention.   

I wasn't into it this year. I just couldn't be. 

On my mind was the new pool membership we had. Triathlon training. Demands at my work job. Demands at my home job. A summer schedule that leaned more toward "yes" than it should have. 

In the ground I started off on bad footing. I didn't do any Spring prep to the soil or plant planning. I left tons of open dirt where crab grass quickly took hold, choked out my plants and rooted itself so deep I could barely hand pull it. 

Even without looking out the window, the wildness felt more like a choke than adventure. All summer I tried to ignore it, even though I could almost hear it taunting me through the wall. 

Today I faced it. 

I've got the time thanks to a positive COVID test and quarantine from my family. It's my first bout with it, and the first time its crept into our home. I'm fine, thankfully. Fine enough to bike ride, walk, feel bored after 10 minutes of sitting still. You know, my usual. But of course not fine enough want to get anyone else sick. 

So I went to the garden alone. To take ownership and to take it back. To clean it out and put it to bed for a new try next year.

Just like my garden can tremendously take off, it can ruthlessly take hold. It's either a celebratory bounty or punishing labor. There's no in between. 

I spent about 3 hours yanking and tossing and churning, trying to get back to zero. The weeds are deep and entangled, messy and powerful. It took a lot of umpf and ugh just to clean out 2/3 of it. That's where I stopped. 

I'd probably done more than I should have already, but the fine line between mental trophy I'd award myself for doing it all and self demolition is one I need much more practice navigating.

My garden teaches me something every year. Maybe not biting off more than you can chew, and if you do taking responsibility and finding a reasonable and healthy come back, was this year's gardening lesson for me after all. 

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