Garden Arguments

76*, 49% humidity, ENE 3 mph wind, mostly cloudy

(First tomato blooms of the year-- 'Early Girl')

Never argue with another gardener. You won't win. Even if you KNOW you are right, the other gardener 'Knows' they are right as well....
This morning I nosed on over to a neighbor and friends house since they were outside to say hello and to see how their little tiny veggie plot was doing. It's about 10 feet by 2 feet in size and surround by 3 foot tall chicken wire fencing to keep the rabbits out. (rabbits that don't pester my garden at all! )
In this little plot, there are sweet peppers, hot peppers, romaine lettuce, corn and tomatoes. The argument started when I mentioned his corn. He has a single row of corn, consisting of 5 corn plants. I thought it was cool that he was trying to grow corn as I always like to encourage other gardeners (even though it really pays off to have a block of corn rather then a single row). He mentioned that he might put in another row and said he was expecting 5 or 6 ears from each corn and that should be enough. I tried to hold my tongue.... but in the end I couldn't. I had to tell him that corn stalks on average have 2-3 ears of corn. Here is where the argument came in.

"Well mine are in good soil and I will use lots of miracle grow, so I should get 5 or 6 ears from each one."

"I've grown corn since I was knee high, no way can you get 6 ears from each stalk"

"Well mine will."

OK, what-never. I knew I wasn't going to win that battle.... We moved onto discussing tomatoes.
He had about 12 plants squeezed into a 2 by 2 foot area. They are early girls just like mine are this year. We were discussing staking them as he showed me these 2 foot pieces of pipe he had salvaged from a neighbor. He said he would use them to stake up his tomatoes this year so they won't fall over. Then I told him I had gotten some great big cages for mine, though I usually use a single tall stake I decided to try something different this year.

"I thought about cages" he said "But then, wont that constrict the tomato?"

Sure... like 2 foot tall stakes (minus about 4-6 inches when you put them in the ground) are not going to 'restrict' tomatoes as well as planting them so close?

This time I bite my tongue in an attempt to be nice and neighborly.

"HM...I better go now, I have to get ready for work. See you later."

This is the same man who pays for his top soil and looks down on my free topsoil I haul myself even though it is the same exact stuff....compost with sand added! Nice guy otherwise....

On to other neighbors, I scored some free black edging for my front beds from the neighbor directly across from me who was cleaning out his shed the other day. There is about 40' which is PERFECT for what I need it for. I am going to edge the two little beds by the front walk--the ones with the clematis and the gnome in it--and edge all the way around the Scentemental lilacs on the one side and then the other side of the walk and around the blueberries which will use another 20' of edging. I will then cover the grass with newspapers and mulch and there will be a bit more lawn gone and it will save Mr. Hyper from having to mow around the lilacs and blueberries! It should look great!

(Oh why oh why do I keep coming up with more work for myself?)