 This year, his interests have taken him to a place where he likes to
make something out of nothing. Seeds, which are almost nothing, are
what he started with this spring.He planted tomato seeds in an
egg carton, inside the house, and fussed over them like a mother
hen. He agonized over whether to keep them protected inside the
house or replant them outside when the time came. I felt exactly
that way before my two oldest sons were ready to start college.
About six plants actually made it through the egg carton stage
and were replaced outside. He mourned the loss of each plant that
didn't make it past the egg carton.
"Mom, how do farmers keep their plants alive long enough for a
harvest?"
I do not have a green thumb by any stretch of the imagination,
but I know how to grow strong, independent children. My motherly
advice to my son was:
"Son, the plants that didn't make it weren't strong enough to
develop into a full-grown tomato. Take good care of the others and
soon you will have your harvest."
He planted them in a flower garden on a side of the house that
doesn't get much sun. He thought that if he planted them in a safe
place where the sun wouldn't fry them, he wouldn't have to water
them as often. My would-be gardener was surprised when their growth
was stunted and they didn't produce... uh, produce.
"You cannot protect them from the wind, rain and sun and expect
them to grow," I said. I was thinking about his first few months of
tae kwon do. "You have to challenge them and then support them
through it. Try putting your plants in full sun and water them
often."
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 |
 So he transferred three of the plants to his old sandbox, which
had plenty of sunshine, and he planted some pumpkin seeds there to
keep them company.
The pumpkin seeds began to grow. As they grew, they wandered all
over the sandbox. One even started growing up a nearby tree. They
sprouted plenty of flowers, but no pumpkins. My son was confused.
They had sun. They had water. They were growing, but... no pumpkins.
My advice was: "You have to give them boundaries. They are
putting too much effort into spreading out and not enough into
production. You need to make them stop spreading and then they will
start producing."
Experimenting with that advice, my son cut three feet off the
vine that was growing up a tree. Two days later, a tiny pumpkin
developed just before the cut.
He was very pleased with his pumpkin's progress, but then two of
his tomato plants had invited some pests to their place --
caterpillars -- and the plants looked like they might not make it.
I told him: "You must be very mindful about those that they spend
time with and vigilant against harmful intruders. Not everything out
there will be good for them. There are parasites that thrive on
destroying your good work."
He distributed a natural pesticide on the ground around the
remaining plant and hoped that it would be enough to deter the
caterpillars.
It was. Yesterday, he picked five tomatoes from his plant. The
look on his face when he held the ripe fruit of his labors was
priceless. He was amazed. He was in awe. He was so joyously proud.
...I knew exactly how he felt.
[By LAURA SNYDER]
Laura Snyder is a nationally syndicated columnist,
author and speaker. You can reach her at
lsnyder@lauraonlife.com
or visit www.lauraonlife.com
for more info. |
