The Black Thumb (aka Jack)

Justice and I had big plans this year to step a wary foot into the realm of gardening.  We had simple plans, we were going to grow two types of cucumbers, tomatoes, and basil in containers.  That's it.  We didn't want to start off too big, so we could learn as we went without getting in over our heads.  I love to can, and I imagine I'd really love to can if I were canning free veggies from my own garden.  

We planted the tomatoes first, then the cucumbers, then the basil.  I will say on the record that I plant basil every year and it grows like a weed.  No worries about the basil.  

Then Jack decided he would help us.  We sure wish he would have told us his plans first.

He killed all of the things.  ALL of the things.  

Justice noticed that the tomatoes looked a little limp and sad.  Jack did too.  So he watered them.  A lot. He watered them to death, actually.  They were looking limp because they were too wet.

He also watered the cucumbers to the point that they turned to mush.  Absolute mush.  We just kept scratching our heads, wondering why EVERYTHING was dying.  Justice and I lamented about how we would die if we were pioneers.  

Then Jack said:

"I water them every day, I don't know why they are dying!"

Wait, what?  Yes.  Jack watered them every day, and the worse they looked from being overwatered, the more he watered them.  Even the basil got yellow and terrible looking and I've never had that happen before.

Hm.  Yellow basil.  Not so awesome.  Didn't taste great either.  I gave up on it, it was tough and gross.

Sigh.  So much for that.  Jack was very sad once he realized what he had done, so we didn't begrudge him much about it.  He was only trying to help, so we let it go.  

But WAIT!  We just left the vines and plants and ignored them for most of the summer.  Apparently the dry spell we had was enough to breathe a little life into two of the tomato plants and ONE measly cucumber vine.  We feasted on those four tomatoes like it was manna from heaven, we were pretty excited.  Jack felt a little redeemed, and all was well.

That lone cucumber vine bore at least a dozen cucumbers, and that was really cool.  Justice LOVES cucumbers.  He eats two a day most days.  One in his lunch and one as an after school snack.  Just chomps it on down plain.

Ha.  I loved taking this picture.  Justice looks like he's in pain or something.  Actually, it's just sheer fear.  The baby is standing behind him, and the baby has a bat.  And the baby is not afraid to use the bat.  The baby is a piece of work.

I never thought I'd be happy about a dozen measly cucumbers and four tomatoes, but it was a decent learning experience for us.  We really appreciated the few that grew.

Next year, we will plant ALL of the things.  Beans, peas, peppers, carrots, corn, squash, melons, tomatoes, and cucumbers.  And Jack will be a restricted water-bearer, for sure.