Growing Things

Next came two green pepper plants for the far corner – each placed two feet apart in a small of Mound. A furrow received tiny fragile lettuce plants so thin I could see right through the leaves. I tried to be careful yet broke a couple.

Down on my knees, using my hands, I pushed the warm dirt around them as I had seen my grandparents do. Dirt became under and around my nails. Forget about my clothes. I was a gardener. Next came the red radishes. The radishes needed different handling – taking care not to lose the tiny seeds as I spread  them evenly along the row – covering them with a small amount of dirt. “No tamping down, they grow very fast so you must leave them room to get out of the ground without a struggle.” said my grandmother. Using the oversized watering can, I wet down my garden.

Every day, sometimes more than once, I checked to see if the onions were peeking out. I didn’t let on but I worried. What if they didn’t come up?  The first to show were the radishes. That was nice. I was more anxious about the onions because it was the first vegetable I planted. They didn’t disappoint. First little bits of green poked out of the soil; soon growing to long stems, several on each. I ate the first one that was ready right in the garden, just brushed off the dirt and bit into it. It was sweet. I pulled more and carried them in for the salad. My grandparents were full of smiles. The other row of onions were harvested in late summer- twelve hard ball sized beauties,  every one as robust as any displayed in the market.

I have planted many larger gardens since but not as memorable. I would like to see every child have a garden of their very own.

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