Gahden of Expectations

Although it’s been a mild fall here in Boston, the gahden knows the time of year, and the plants started drooping one by one or sometimes en masse — I’m looking at you cucumbers and squash. I keep a garden journal, which is helpful when I’m trying to remember when to start seeds, or whether my cucumbers are really coming in late or I’m just a very impatient gardener. (*Checks notes* Never blame the cucumbers.)

But it can also be a reminder of past successes and create those nasty, insidious expectations. Last year at this time, I had a whole basket of jilo, 2 surprise mini pumpkins called Jack Be Little, a shit ton of green tomatoes, and lots of basil. This year? The jilo did not appreciate all the rain and little sun, and all that was left was one baby and an overripe one for seed. The basil got the vapors back in July and never recovered. There were no surprise plants this year, even though last fall I left the Jack Be Littles out for the squirrels to eat, and, er, propagate.

As I moved through the garden to clean up, I was feeling disappointed because last year seemed so much better. And I also felt irritated because I realized I was creating my own disappointment. I can’t blame a toxic friend, the nosy neighbor, or a perfectionist parent. It’s me obscuring all that was good about this year’s harvest. Dammit, I hate when that happens.

There weren’t a lot of tomatoes left because they ripened all season as they should have, and I ate them pretty steadily all summer. The new (to me) plant, tomatillos, gave me so much fruit. And I was the victor in the great three-lined bug battle. I learned how to make salsa verde, and still think their very distinct flavor could be used in some kind of dessert. This weekend I got one last bunch before taking the plant down, and imma gonna play in the kitchen. Stay tuned.

The sweet potatoes are always so fun to dig up because who knows what I’ll find? After all the other plants have gone to that big farm in the sky, the sweet potatoes are still waiting like presents on Christmas morning. The new round cloth bags I tried gave me straighter potatoes. Although the weird, squiggly ones I plant in an old laundry basket are also fun to dig up.

I had some cucumbers and jilo, and dreamy amounts of oregano, thyme, parsley, and rosemary. I planted wildflower seeds that had a great time being, well, wild. The purple salvia flowers I planted last year made it through the winter and blossomed again this year. How awesome it that?

Totally awesome, so what the hell am I bellyaching about? Not a thing. It was a great year for the gahden, and you just wait until next year. It’s gonna be even bettah.