Gardening Bug

I learned me love of gardening from my grandmothers. My Dad's mother always loved roses, though she never pruned them. I remember them as huge plants with gobs of roses. She also had this philodendron in their dining room that had its roots in water. It was long and she arranged it up over the doors and around the room. I used to be amazed that it could live in water. I now have a short sprig in water by my sink, and it seems to live fine that way.

My Mother's mother had huge vegie gardens where she grew corn, tomatoes, beans. She would can them or as she said, "put them up for winter." My mother couldn't stand to be outside and I never saw her once tend a plant outside. I was shocked when she told me once that she used to work in the garden in the summer. She said they lived on vegies and ate very little meat. They had chickens and other farm animals. I remember eating corn, beans, and tomatoes out of Grandma's garden when I was a little girl. How wonderful they tasted! Grandma would get help from her brothers in tending the garden and would plant the vegies in long rows with space between.

I didn't learn any gardening techniques from them, but I think my love of gardening has to come from them. My Dad dabbled in farming for a few years, planting soybeans and/or corn in our 60 acres with a tractor, etc. He was never much interested in yard work though he did cut the grass. His idea of pruning was to cut the bushes down to stubbs, so he wouldn't have to bother for a couple years until they grew back.

I learned most of what I know from Roy and Joanna, friends in Columbus I met at church, and Tom Whitney, a friend from work. He let me start my first garden on his property. I also had a community plot at Ohio State when I worked there and sometimes gardened at friends' houses until I got married and we got a yard. I have also read hundreds, maybe thousands of books and magazines on gardening and attended seminars. Mostly I've learned from trial and error and actually doing it.

It is interesting that one of my real passions I would learn mostly on my own and not from going to school.

Long day with zumba from 4:15 to 5:15. Now THAT'S some exercise.

Sue