I’ve grown gardens since my childhood in World War II
The recent rains kept us off schedule with cutting grass and weeding flower beds. They helped nurture the vegetables in our gardens, and I am sure they helped in controlling wildfires in the region. I don’t know that we had too much rain, but I do believe we had enough.
For much of my life l have had vegetable gardens. Because of shortages, high prices and the rationing of certain foods, during World War II we were encouraged to have “Victory Gardens” in any available space. Fortunately, we were able to turn the play area behind my house into a garden spot.
There we had green beans, tomatoes, corn and okra. As a youngster I developed quite a green thumb while hoeing and watering what I knew would be good eating. A number of people in the neighborhood had gardens and were willing to share the fruits of their labor as they grew hot peppers, cucumbers, squash and other veggies.
Today I am amazed by my okra plants, which are 7 feet tall. I have never had okra grow that tall in my 77 years as a gentleman farmer. Every three days I must make a harvest or the pods become unfit to eat. I keep my cabbage/okra pot at the ready.
I am also amazed with the good-sized cantaloupes in my garden, since they were unintentional. One day I bought a cantaloupe and decided to plant the seeds. I knew they would bloom and provide a few small inedible balls of fruit, but the incessant rains have helped produce several large fruits from those throw-away seeds.
When I go to the seed store on Rutledge Pike for my plants, I usually buy four cucumber plants that produce enough for me and my neighbors, but in May I mistakenly bought three green bean plants that were mixed in with the cucumbers. I now have green beans in my freezer, and the one cucumber plant has produced more fruit than the four I usually buy.
I buy and eat a lot of broccoli, but I dare not try to grow it in my garden. There is no way to protect it from the rabbits that visit me. In the fall I have success with turnip, kale and mustard greens because the rabbits ignore them, but broccoli and lettuce don’t stand a chance. No matter how hard I try to shield them, the rabbits are smarter than me.
There was a time when I had squirrels jumping on the top of my bird feeder, but I solved that problem by spreading feed under it as I fill it. I also have flocks of pigeons, but I don’t care. I try to feed all comers as long as they don’t bother my vegetable garden.
Sometimes when I come home at night, I find a possum on my front porch. On occasion raccoons are in my backyard, and I hope they, too, sample the bird seed. I enjoy watching the cardinals, bluejays, sparrows, mourning doves, orioles and other feathered and furry creatures as they feast. The robins seem to find more flavor in worms and bugs and refuse to eat those tasteless seeds. I get great pleasure out of feeding them all as long as they stay away from my garden.
Robert J. Booker is a freelance writer and former executive director of the Beck Cultural Exchange Center. He may be reached at 865-546-1576.