Taking bets, taking bets now! Anyone want to wager how long I’ll be able to keep my plants alive?
I love the idea of gardening. I love freshly picked fruits and veggies. There’s nothing more decadent than visiting the orchards in Israel and plucking produce straight from the source. And I think to myself, “I want this all of the time. I want a keenly green thumb too. I could totally make it happen.” Yet tragically, duality exists between my ability to execute such a plan without executing my plants.
Grim track record be damned. Off I go to create a window into Israel through a window box of my own, soon-to-be overflowing with fresh herbs and a few sprightly flowers for a lick of color.
Problem #1: I do not have a garden. I live in an apartment.
My green-thumbed friend Roy once grew Momotaro tomatoes so gorgeous, they inspired me to give them a photo shoot of their very own. Roy noticed my interest and so gifted me with a window box on my birthday, even pre-installing it with…straw or squashed tumbleweeds. (I’m not sure what this stuff is, but it helps stop the water from completely leaking out of the bottom.)
Solution #1: I will employ said window box.
Problem #2: I do not really like dirt or worms.
My mom, also gifted with a glorious green thumb, assures me I should face few wriggly critters atop an urban apartment building.
Solution #2: I shall persist and commit myself to regular manicures.
Problem #3: I famously forget to water plants. (If only they would bark when they need something!)
I always feel bad for the plants I buy, for they face an uncertain fate. Perhaps I could install an innovative irrigation system like the ones Israelis creatively employ to make the desert bloom! (A bit much for a 2-foot long window box?) Alas, with only my watering can and forgetful memory to save them, my plants too often remain dry as the Negev.
Solution #3: I will set an alarm on my phone…and try to remember not to ignore it.
“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” With any luck, this latest garden will be the seed of a new green-thumbed future that would even make the kibbutznikim proud.
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