So, gardening is not something that I am instinctively drawn to. I'm about a nurturing as a rock and terribly forgetful. But I thought, "How hard could it be to keep a few plants alive? I keep Charlie alive, and she's a cat."
Apparently, plants are harder than cats...
It began early spring when the weather was unseasonably warm during the day. I thought that because it was relatively nice outside it would be the perfect time to pot some plants. Without experience in this area I failed to realize one key factor, the weather here changes (rapidly). So without this bit of knowledge, I set out to the garden store, purchased plants and pots, and began my gardening journey.
I decorated my little pots in shades of blue, green, and purple. I planted my 6 little plants with pride. How are they doing now? Well, there are now 3 and half remaining.
The first to go was the catnip. How do you kill catnip? Here's how:
I soon realized that although the daytime was unseasonably warm at night there was still a very strong chance of frost and cold temperatures. So, I began packing up my little pots and bringing them in every night. I was smart enough to know that with Charlie the cat around I would have to place the plants in one of the few areas cat proof enough for them to survive. The only suitable place was the top of some kitchen cupboards.
My dear boyfriend would have to lift them up on top of the cupboards every night and bring them down for me to water every day. After a few days of this, both he and I were tired of the hassle. To keep the peace and make watering them easy, I decided to place the plants in the bathroom and shut the door. Again, I failed to see the flaw in this plan. Of course the door was closed often. How hard is it to forget during the day? Remembering this small step at 2 am however is difficult for even the most rested man and woman.
One night, I hear a ruckus coming from the living room. Emerging from the bedroom, I found Charlie, high as a kite, racing around the living room. Immediately, I knew that she had found her way into the catnip. I made my way to the bathroom preparing to witness what was surely a massacre. I turned on the light and was pleasantly surprised to see green leaves gleaming. It took a few moments to realize that in the middle of all that green there was one pot, empty except for potting soil.
Charlie had not only munched on my poor catnip plant, she had completely devoured it-roots and all. She remained off for almost a week, sometimes tweaking out at the smallest noises, puffing up her fur and diving under the nearest piece of furniture for cover. I can only imagine what she might have heard or seen as she rode out that bad catnip trip.
Next to go was the basil. As the weather alternated between hot to warm sunny days and freezing cold nights, I eventually gave up bringing the plants inside. It was a lot of work for my little pregnant body and I figured it wouldn't get that cold. Apparently, I was wrong.
Poor Basil. It didn't stand a chance. The alternating temperature soon turned the once bright green and healthy plant into a dry, brittle, and brown stalk.
Now all that remains are my 3 and a half plants. I say half because my lavender has slowly turned brown and brittle. No matter how nice the weather is or how often I remember to water, it just seems to have given up hope of living.
The remaining three; rosemary, sage, and spearmint seem to be doing alright.
I am hoping that at least one of them makes it. My guess would be the spearmint as it has thrived under my clumsy and forgetful care.
Perhaps my future endeavors will go a lot more smoothly than gardening.
-F
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