IT IS A MATTER OF ADJUSTING

When I got into my mid 40's my arms suddenly lacked length. I had to push reading materials farther and farther away from my eyes to be able to read the print. I held out till I was finally reduced to throwing things on the floor to be able to read them. Not cool with food packages. Yep, the eyes were going and glasses were called for. I adjusted.

Some time in my mid to late 50's, old buddy Arthur Ritis came to visit and never left. He was fondest of my hips but then when I tamed him with OTC Glucosamine, he moved into my back where those meds couldn't reach him. My ability to handle physical work for long periods like before, slipped each year but I refuse to yield. I adjusted.

So when my back said to leave the Garden Club and Master Gardeners, I said OK but I am not giving up with personal gardening. Up until this year, I could still do the chores of gardening with just frequent breaks and long soaks in a hot tub required. Now while I am still capable of the necessary chores, I just need to rest more often and I do pay a physical price for each weeded flower bed. I hurt and needed to adjust.

Each evening I would go to bed stiff and sore but would awaken in the morning out of pain, feeling fine and thinking once more, “Hay, I can do this” so I would repeat the process. If laziness is the mother of invention, pain is the daddy. This year I am trying something new. Eye level gardening. That was my adjustment.

Now I have all ready planted my two raised beds for my veggies. Just barely peaking from their soil are the tiny versions of carrots, onions, potatoes, and kale. The raised beds are relatively easy to work. Once planted, there is almost no weeding and very little tending outside of watering and harvesting. But then I thought, what if I didn't have to bend at all?

I have a wrap around porch on my house which is perfect for hanging baskets. Now I usually plant them in colorful annuals for eye appeal. As I was cleaning up the baskets for the new season, I thought, why not veggies? Ok corn is an obvious “can't do” but surely there are a lot of other plants that would work and with prices set to really escalate, more veggies seemed like a good idea.

I started with Romaine lettuce and onion sets at first plus some herbs. I planted way too early and this screwy Spring had me hopping to save the tender plants.

Every night I would move the baskets against the wall of the house, protected by the porch. It was only minor weight lifting and the plants thanked me by surviving. At that time, I had only 6 hanging baskets.

Now I am up to 12 baskets and have included Kale, Roma tomatoes, sugar snap peas and red lettuce. Each basket is an experiment but my Net searching has reinforced my theory.

Naturally this is not a gardening method for one who has a large family or who wants to can and preserve, but for one or two people who want fresh produce, it is perfect. No place for hanging baskets, why not just a container?

Pros—Complete ease of handling and harvesting. Rabbits can't nibble your new plantings and slugs seem to have a fear of heights. So far, I have yet to have an insect problem though I will admit it is early yet. These baskets can really be quite attractive. I can't wait for later in the season. Care is totally convenient as I just walk out the door to tend and harvest. They require very little space.

Cons---They are container plants however and need a bit more supervision regarding watering and fertilizer than in ground plants. They do dry out quickly.

Just some food for thought and maybe the table. Get those hands dirty folks. Prices are going up.