Farmer Jo

My obsession was ignited at a mini-enrichment entitled "Winter Sowing." I planted various flower seeds in 3 empty 3 qt. ice cream buckets. I placed them hesitantly outside on my patio hoping that the snow would not deter their growth. Patience. Prayer. I peeked at them the first day the sun was shining. Nothing. More patience. More prayer. To calm my anxiety I planted 5 more buckets with more flower and vegetable seeds. More snow fell. Two weeks later, the sun came out and trepidly I opened the buckets. I knelt down beside each bucket tenderly opening the lid to peek. Nothing, nothing, nothing, oh, a few green stems, so tiny, peeking up from the beautiful black soil. Smiling, I put the lids back on the buckets. More patience and more prayers.
I decided I needed more containers. I purchased 3 peat seed starter kits. Each one could hold 72 plants. I followed the instructions carefully. Watching the mounds swell up with water reminded me of the glow worms I so enjoy watching on the fourth of July. I placed 2-3 seeds in each mound. I put the plastic cover on and carried all 3 trays to a sunny place in my bathroom. These seeds sprouted quickly and soon I removed the lid to allow the leaves to soar. I quickly realized that some of the plants would need to be planted or they would perish. Sadly, it was still too cold to transplant outside. Several seedlings died prematurely. I have no idea why. Concerned that all the other seedlings would soon expire, I decided to move them to Styrofoam cups giving them a bigger pot to extend their roots, grow stronger, and wait for warmer weather. This process was slow and has absorbed my entire kitchen. It has enabled little fingers to touch and sometimes accidentally pull the tender plants right out: dead. Unfortunately, the transplanting was not entirely successful. I have lost about 1/3 of my starts.
The weather is warming up. I have placed 13 plants in the ground. Immediately 4 died. A few days later and 3 others are struggling. I am fearful to plant the others. I talk to them, encouraging them to grow and be productive. I water them & weed around them. I watch over them chasing away little feet & fingers too excited to be careful. I have also planted several seeds directly into the ground: flowers & vegetables. I have enlisted help of all the little people in the area to assist me in hopes that they will feel a sense of ownership and want to be careful in the all to inviting dirt. Patience & prayer.
I started this project with over 450 seeds. I have lost over half. With any luck I will still have a garden, but as of yet I am uncertain what I will harvest. I am amazed at how emotional I am with regards to these seeds. I mourn when they die and I anxiously await to see which plants will make it. I also realize that while it is easy to sow the seeds it requires so much effort to sustain them. And, even with lots of care, some still don't make it. Farmer Jo may not be a deserved title for me. I am still an apprentice in the field of gardening. And while I continue to learn and develop my green thumb, I recognize that without the Almighty's help, I would completely fail.