Plot 10

Last year we finally got a plot in the community garden after years on the waiting list. We were lucky enough to get Plot 16 in the Key Boulevard Community Garden. Plot 16 turned out to be a dank cave of a thing, entirely shaded by the giant tree growing overhead. The previous gardener had apparently either had an unnatural fondness for little walkways, or had attempted to plant a crop of hardy winter bricks, interspersed with stubs of crayons. We dutifully aerated that packed, dry dirt, and mixed in natural fertilizer and mulch. We went to the giant garden center and picked out the most vibrant, healthy little future vegetables we could find - everything from tomatoes to cauliflower.

We did not do the research.

As it turns out, some plants like getting sunlight. In fact, everything we planted demanded significantly more than an hour or two of sun each day. Also, in my desire to do a great job, I watered every single day. I drowned those poor little plants. All we got from the garden was a few sad peppers and three cherry tomatoes.

We swore off gardening for the time being, and looked to the future, dreaming of farms.

Luckily, someone else in the community garden decided to relinquish her plot. After much shuffling, we ended up with Plot 10.

Here's to a new beginning.