just because I know you will sympathize.........

Lauri · #1 03/08/12, 02:30 PM

We are putting our house on the market, and I am torn about planting a garden.

Plant one and take the chance someone else will reap the rewards of my plantings, or don't plant....house doesn't sell and I wont have any veggies.

<<<<< this is me, feeling very sorry for myself

**Terri** · #2 03/08/12, 02:32 PM

Ouch!

bajiay · #3 03/08/12, 02:36 PM

IF it were me, I would go ahead and plant. The housing market is so crazy, you just don't know when it will sell or if it will. You still have to eat! Maybe don't plant quite as much, or do some container gardening, just in case?

Raven12 · #4 03/08/12, 03:07 PM

I didn't garden at all while my house was up. I put away everything and made the house as neutral as possible. That is what is fueling my insane desire to garden this season. Major withdrawal symptoms.

7thswan · #5 03/08/12, 03:46 PM

I would also plant. It will be good for your mental health. Selling a house can be very stressful. What's the cost of seeds,compared to health-Gardening is good exercise!

Lauri · #6 03/08/12, 04:19 PM

In addition to selling the house, my DH has terminal cancer.................
............gardening may be just the needed therapy

Thank you for taking the time to reply. You all provided just the right amount of needed insight.

Txsteader · #7 03/08/12, 05:16 PM

Don't know what your real estate market is like there, but I know folks in different parts of the country who've had their houses on the market for a couple of years. Knowing that, I would go ahead and plant. And, as you say, it would be good therapy......gardening is good therapy no matter what our life circumstances may be.

I'm sorry about your DH. Sending prayers up for your both.

jcatblum · #8 03/08/12, 07:35 PM

Take a season to enjoy the farmers market. Last season we moved in the early summer & I was unable to plant. Once the move was complete I tried to plant some squash & okra, but it didn't survive the drought, heat & grasshoppers!

The worst part to not having a garden last yr was my seed shopping this yr. I have bought enough seed to plant for several yrs, even bought stuff that I can't remember why I bought it!

Callieslamb · #9 03/08/12, 09:43 PM

It's still early yet for MI planting. I'd give myself a month to decide. But I'd probably not be able to NOT plant something somewhere. Perhaps a smaller garden than normal?

blynn · #10 03/09/12, 12:07 AM

Maybe just do a few of your favorites this year, and lots of flowers. Flowers are happy, might help the place sell.

I'm really sorry to hear about your husband.

Izitmidnight · #11 03/09/12, 12:10 AM

Plant in pots if you like. That way it can move with you as well.

Laura Zone 10 · #12 03/09/12, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lauri

We are putting our house on the market, and I am torn about planting a garden.

Plant one and take the chance someone else will reap the rewards of my plantings, or don't plant....house doesn't sell and I wont have any veggies.

<<<<< this is me, feeling very sorry for myself

I would plant.
It could help hold the line on the price......established gardens and all.
PLUS curb appeal!!

GrannyCarol · #13 03/09/12, 09:35 AM

I would plant, unless you are really rushed trying to get ready to move. Even then, I'd plant some of it. It's just my own thought that I've rented places (for instance) thinking that I wouldn't be there long and held off on doing fixes, planting things, etc. and, in the end, found that I would have been happier during the time that I WAS there, if I'd planted that tree, or put in a garden, or painted a room. I like to LIVE as best I can where ever I am at the time. Be in the now. Now you have land you can plant and you would enjoy doing it, then that enjoyment is your pay off, even if you sell and someone else eats the veggies.

With all of the changes and challenges you mention, living as normally as possible will help you to deal with it all.

geo in mi · #14 03/09/12, 10:06 AM

You can specify in your listing that you have rights of access and harvest, until, say, Sept. 1st. At which time, if the property sells, you will reseed if the new owner doesn't want to put a garden there. Just like specifying that draperies go or don't go....

geo

Ifistav · #15 03/09/12, 10:10 AM

I'm a very sorry about your husband

I too would go ahead and plant.

Take care,

Ifi

Bluebird · #16 03/10/12, 07:53 AM

We sold a house one fall and my dad who was the real estate agent knew I had spent a lot of time hunting down and planting a wide variety of hosta at that house. He wrote into the sales contract that I had the right to come back the next summer and remove cuttings of the hostas. Although I needed to remind the buyer the next summer that the contract premitted me to do that, there was no trouble in dividing those plants to take. You can request the same as suggested above. The buyer may want to negotiate that request but you can decide then how important it is to you to have the harvest. Seems to me there are so many reasons we all garden and it sounds as though the peace you may realize by working that pleasure, may be a very good one in the months ahead. Best wishes and prayers for both of you!