Lost it all.

Ravenlost · #1 08/12/05, 10:24 AM

I've been gone for nearly three weeks helping care for my Daddy before he died August 3rd. It's been rough for all of us. Hubby was left on his own to take care of the farm and animals plus put in his 40 hours at work. I got home a couple days ago and my garden is finished.

I've lost all my strawberry plants and raspberry plants. The bell peppers and squash are dead. The sweet potatoes are struggling and something has eaten up the pumpkins...gnawed the hide right off them. I may be able to save a couple of tomato plants for a few fresh tomatoes, but the majority are gone...dried up and eaten up by bugs. The peas dried up on the vine, but I'll save them for seed next year.

The only thing still thriving are my gourd plants and the peanuts. Everything else is a loss. Hubby says this year, being our first year to garden here, was an experiment and next year will be much better. Sure hope it rains next year! Not only did we lose the garden, our ponds are drying up rapidly.

Ed in S. AL · #2 08/12/05, 10:46 AM

Sorry to hear that. Believe me I know how you feel. I lost everything in mine last summer and fall by having my feet operated on. No one to take care of anything around here. Got lucky getting my wife to at least cut the grass once.

hollym · #3 08/12/05, 12:35 PM

I'm so sorry RL. Is it too late to replant short season things like salad greens and beans and the like? I lost my entire garden to a hungry high jumping deer earlier this summer and I am fixing to replant it and hope for the best.
I don't know if you want suggestions? But I have busted myself for years to keep things watered well enough-it's HOT and dry here, and I found that the beds that I started lasagna-ing this year are the ones that made it through the worst of the drought.

hollym

#4 08/12/05, 01:09 PM

'Hubby says this year, being our first year to garden here, was an experiment and next year will be much better."

He's right. For the first couple of years just take it all in stride until you have a better idea of what you can and cannot sustain.

Even then the unexpected can occur.

.....Alan.

nehimama · #5 08/12/05, 01:11 PM

So, so sorry. My condolences on the passing of your father. That by itself was tough enough. Then, to come home and find the garden lost. All that hard work; all the hopes; just dust. I'm so sorry.

I had a garden one drought year. Babied it along. Watered religiously every second or third day. Everything was JUST coming ripe and ready to pick. One more day. . . . . .

That night the neighbor's sheep leaked out of his not-so-good fencing. They absolutely destroyed every last living thing in my garden. I sat down and cried. All that hard work. . . . . . .reduced to nothing in a matter of hours.

I understand, and I hope you can make out with a fall garden. Good Luck.

NeHi Mama

Ravenlost · #6 08/12/05, 01:12 PM

Thanks for the support and understanding. I didn't garden last year because hubby had back surgery in May and I had hand surgery in early August.

I'm thinking it's just to hot and dry to start anything now, plus I'll be making a lot of trips to Mama's to help her sort out stuff.

Guess I'll just have to be content to make some more Elderberry and Kudzu jelly and be happy I got 12 quarts of tomatoes and several quarts of squash (I haven't counted) out of this year's garden.

Cindy in NY · #7 08/12/05, 01:18 PM

Sorry to hear of your troubles! If you cut back your raspberry plants and keep them watered, they might come back next year.

jesducky · #8 08/12/05, 01:50 PM

"That night the neighbor's sheep leaked out of his not-so-good fencing. They absolutely destroyed every last living thing in my garden. I sat down and cried. All that hard work. . . . . . .reduced to nothing in a matter of hours."

But we all still garden on ... Isn't it amazing how homesteader-types can be so tough and flexible (some might say ... stubborn)!

ravenlost- so sorry for the loss in your family and the loss of your garden.

nina

Ardie/WI · #9 08/12/05, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ravenlost

Thanks for the support and understanding. I didn't garden last year because hubby had back surgery in May and I had hand surgery in early August.

I'm thinking it's just to hot and dry to start anything now, plus I'll be making a lot of trips to Mama's to help her sort out stuff.

Guess I'll just have to be content to make some more Elderberry and Kudzu jelly and be happy I got 12 quarts of tomatoes and several quarts of squash (I haven't counted) out of this year's garden.

Well, bless your heart. May next years garden flourish for you.

mightybooboo · #10 08/12/05, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A.T. Hagan

'Hubby says this year, being our first year to garden here, was an experiment and next year will be much better."

He's right. For the first couple of years just take it all in stride until you have a better idea of what you can and cannot sustain.

Even then the unexpected can occur.

.....Alan.

My thoughts exactly,it takes practice to get it right to your particular situation.Good luck next year and hope your are doing OK.

BooBoo

via media · #11 08/12/05, 09:39 PM

I'm sorry to hear about your garden, RL. If it's of any consolation, I'm rowing in the same boat. Most of my garden is crunchy

However, I drive by several beautiful gardens on my way to work each day and I have taken to one in particular. It's my adopted garden - I notice how everything looks and whether anything needs to be watered, etc. I am gardening vicariously for the rest of the summer and will try again next year

/VM