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Wednesday, June 03, 2009

I want to Grow...

a garden. I have never grown one on my own ever. It has been there already before I moved in or somebody was hired to grow one. I never had much interest. I do not know why. Well, that is not to say that I have never attempted growing one...

I remember when I was in my fifth grade my brother and I wanted to have a terrace garden. So we collected some bricks from a construction site, hauled them up and arranged it in a rectangle at a corner. We then picked up some soil what we thought would be perfect for growing plants and filled up the rectangle.

Then we bought a tomato, a few green chillies, and a dhania and sowed them like we saw on the fields. In neat rows and separated by vegetable. The garden flourished. Right after our first crop we lost interest. The garden died.

But together we planted a neem tree in front of our house. Took a small sapling from a street side, displaced it but gave it ample water and sun and let it grow. When I went back to the house after 10 plus years, the tree was big. Three times my size. Giving shade to the house and it looked beautiful. I hugged the tree and felt a sense of accomplishment.

Then when I was in my 6th grade, I planted another neem tree in the new house we moved to. And again this one too grew big and pretty like all neem trees are...once again same emotions...

That was the last time I really made any attempt at planting trees until I moved to Dallas. In 2007 a few months before Babs was born the Sai Baba temple was giving away Tulsi plants. I picked two up. One I gave to my friend who promptly killed the plant and another I kept for myself. I killed it after a year and a half. Same thing but I prolonged its life and death. We were upset. Now what are we to do if Dallas weather is bad? Tulsi is not famous for braving cold I think.

Anyways a few weeks ago, at a friend's bridal shower we were given a grow kit for flowering plants. I got Zinnia and my friend got a Marigold which she left at my apartment. So now they are both sitting on the window waiting to sprout. I am hoping the sun and the drops of water I pour will help. If this works, then I want to have a mini-garden on my balcony or at the entrance and on the ouside kitchen window sill. How I wish...really...knowing my penchant for killing plants...

Anyhoo, I will update with pics soon :)

Love
ART
A gardener at heart but not in reality.

5 comments:

P said...

I LOVE gardening too... but don't have the necessary commitment just like you. but have found a solution. I have potted ferns.. they need very little care... just water.
but with Dallas weather.. im not sure.. i had another plant with me when i was in Lubbock.. i used to bring it inside when it was too cold..esp during the night & when it snowed! that helped it live.

so don't give up... gardening is a beautiful hobby.. .start with a cactus! they are sturdy creatures that can endure the cold. :)
also may be strawberries! :)

Shilpa said...

Yes Tulsi is tough to grow here. Although my aunt's tulsi flourishes in Chicago! Something with the green thumb maybe.
I have been known to kill quite a few plants myself. Goodluck.

vimmuuu said...

Murderer !!!! :D

Btw, "So we collected some bricks from a construction site", is that collected or stole ??? LOL !!! We used to do that too :D

Anu Russell said...

P, ya we did all that for the Tulsi but a week long vacation to CA killed it. Have to learn how to handle plants during a vacation :( G wud even move the tree everyday so that it caught the right amount of sun and all that ding dong.

I am going to give it another try :)

Shilpa, me too wonders, why don't i have the green thumb :( sad sad sad...

Vimmuuu, ok now, shhhh...no one needs to know my word play...but since u r partner in crime...phew...

sid said...

To have neem in your backyard is good for health too!! Nice work though!!