I am a lover of all things green. I was brought up with gardens, of both the vegetable and flower varieties. I have worked as a flower gardener at a large University. I have rooted plants in glasses of water set on a sunny windowsill. I have planted herb gardens in strawberry pots. I have started seeds in starter kit "greenhouses." I have grown vegetables in containers. And, I have even grown lettuce hydroponically.
One would think, given this amount of plant-related interest and experience, that I would be a pro at keeping houseplants alive. However, if one did think this, one would be WRONG! In my time, I have killed the hardiest of houseplants. It's not that I have a completely brown thumb. There have been times in my life when I have kept multiple plants alive for long periods of time. It's just that as much as I enjoy looking at plants, I just don't seem to enjoy watering them as much!
However, this spring all of this is going to change! This spring, I am determined to teach Liam about planting seeds, caring for plants, and harvesting vegetables. Apparently, Grandma had the same idea as we recently received a children's gardening kit for growing tomatoes delivered to our doorstep! So today was the day for Liam to have the novel experience of planting his first seeds!
Such an auspicious occasion deserves appropriate attire! So I pulled on an old pair of overalls I have saved for gardening and gestating children. Thinking that Liam would get a kick out of seeing his mother in overalls just like his, I gestured to the bib. "Liam! What are these?" Without skipping a beat, Liam looked deep into my eyes and gave his earnest answer... "Boobies!" Ummmm.... Right....
Moving on, we assembled our tools and moved ourselves out to the deck. The first step in growing tomatoes with Elmo is to add water to these expanding soil pellets.
Here you can see my smiling boy helping to pour the correct amount of water into the bucket holding the soil pellets... So far, so good...
Elmo's second step is to mix the soil and water with the provided tools. Here's where things got a little ugly...
It might be hard to see here, dear reader, but there is an INTENSITY between Liam and his bucket in this picture. This intensity had been unwavering for nearly an hour, and was punctuated by exclamations of "NO, MUM-MUM! LIAM do it!!!!" Now, you may remember that my dear, sweet, boy has just turned two. Therefore, underneath his cherub-like, innocent exterior lurks a little monster just waiting for the opportunity to rear its head.
Which brings us to the third step in growing tomatoes with Elmo... It took some serious convincing to get him to transfer the soil to the cups... and even more convincing to let me pick up the soil he dropped in the transfer... As the time passed, my patience shortened and nap time approached... I pulled out all of my tricks, but step number four, planting the seeds, finally was completed and it was time for a nap...
In this scenario, I think the fact that the kit was labeled for ages 3 and up was more to protect the parents' sanity than a reflection of any safety issue for the little one! Frankly, I was exhausted.
Now, originally there had been a planned phase two of Liam's Introduction to Planting that was to occur this afternoon and would double as my novel experience of the day. However, I'll admit it! I chickened out! I just didn't have it in me to revisit the whole dirt/seed debacle with Liam for a second time today. So, by the dark of night, while my little boy dreamed of soil, shovels, and spades, I pulled out the cactus seeds and soil that I had been hoarding and set to work planting. I have no idea if the little buggers will even come up... and if they do they will have to be kept out of reach of my grabby toddler's hands... but I bet that even I will be able to keep these plants alive... at least for a while!
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