TC Larson

Stories and Mischief

Don’t Say “I Told You So”

30
Dec

This is what my Winter Garden ambitions have come to:


I should have known that, when the ground inside the garden was hard in late October (if I remember correctly, it was October though I never really documented it. Maybe that’s an idea for next time?), we weren’t going to make it through the winter season. But it was an experiment, remember? So not all experiments are flying successes, as evidenced by this screaming failure of a winter garden.

Easily Distracted

29
Nov

Lest you, Dear Reader, think that I forgot or have been neglectful of my garden responsibilities, I wanted to let you know of the developments. I did get the winter garden constructed, and it was all done just before the cold snap we experienced a couple weeks ago. The design is less than fancy, but it works and so far it has been successful. There is a low-watt lightbulb inside, and since the shower curtain was too small, I opted for heavy duty plastic sheets that I bought at a home improvement store. We planted some herbs and the previously thriving lettuce and spinich is doing fairly well. The basil didn’t make it through the first trial, so it must have needed more heat. I will try to keep you informed of any other revelations as they develop!

I must mention here that I have a fairly short attention span, and my garden has lost some of its shine for me these days. There have been enough family distractions that have diverted my energies, so the poor, sad garden has really been left to its own devices. Which makes it all the more impressive that there’s anything left alive! I would say that I resolve to do better, but I just can’t make that claim right now. So we’ll just see how things play out as nature takes its wintery course.

Not for the Faint of Heart

18
Oct

Okay, folks, this winter garden is proving to be a tad more complicated than I predicted, particularly because I’m trying to do it on the cheap. My dad had some random pieces of wood, and he was kind enough to slap together a frame for me. And I had a shower curtain lying around that was the wrong size (didn’t even think to check the size when I bought it — never really knew they came in different sizes). But as you can see from the photo it is too small. So now we’re stuck with a covering that doesn’t fit, much like the Dr. Seuss character who can’t get his whole body to fit in his little bed. There’s still quite a bit of work to do, and I have to keep drilling myself to remember to leave a flap that can open in order to access the stuff inside. That’s just the kind of thing that I would forget until after the project was complete, then I’d be stuck cutting a hole with a kiddie scissors or something. Not nearly as neat and professional as what we’ve got going on now! *smirk*

Just wanted to give you a progress report. The fall is cooling down and the air feels different even from two days ago. I’ve got to get this thing done if we’re going to have a fightin’ chance!

Gardening in -30 degrees

4
Oct

A winter garden…in Minnesota? It’s madness, I know. What am I even thinking? I don’t know exactly, but I have been reading about people creating winter gardens in places that are sortof similar in climate as the great Northern Tundra, and they’ve had success. Okay, partial success. But hey, I count that as a victory. And I’m just now learning about how certain vegetables benefit from a good freeze, and become sweeter and tastier because of it. That tends to be the opposite of what happens to me after a good freeze (can’t really speak to the “tastier” description, but I know I ain’t any sweeter in disposition!). So I am going to give it a try.

The problem really lies in the execution. See, I tend to be a person who has great confidence in my abilities. There are very few things I am sure I cannot do; most things tend to fall into the category of the achievable. Call me an optimist, call me go-getter, but I’m usually pretty game to take things on without a fear of failure. This can be endearing, or super irritating, since I seem unaware of my own limitations and usually tend to downplay the limitations of others. Want to drive across the country and find jobs once we get out there? Sure thing! Wanna try to go indoor rock climbing and hook up your own gear without the help of a trained staff person? Yeah, I think I could do that. Feel like taking a run-down car to a friend’s cabin for the first time late at night? I bet we can find that without any trouble! And what happens in these situations? You get across the country and can’t find a good job so end up working at IHOP, the trained staff person comes over and gives you a lecture on climbing safety and shows you that you would have fallen to your doom if she hadn’t stopped you, you can’t find the cabin and the brakes of your old car go out on the way home!

But these are the things that seem to be the exception to the rule, at least in my mind. It was just so strange that they worked out that way! Hmm. So a winter garden I shall have, doggone it, even if I end up eating shriveled spinach and garlic until spring.