Today was an important day… I had been agonising over this decision for weeks and was worried about the outcome… well both outcomes really. Do nothing or do something… It was one of those, well it could go either way. But if I do nothing then I know nothing changes and the likelihood of failure is more certain.
So, today came and I had to decide… am going to move the marrows?
I have spent 5 months growing 3 marrow plants from seed and to begin with I wasn’t even sure I was going to be able to get them started. Lockdown kicked in just before I was able to get to the garden centre and buy the seeds I needed for the summer crops.
Ok, you’re thinking, just get them online…
I agree, simple solution right? Until I realised – that is what everyone else is trying to do and the waitlist for seed deliveries was in excess of 4 weeks… timing was going to be tight if we’re to get any decent crops out of the season.
Eventually, these seeds turn up and I start the growing process ASAP; nurturing, watering, keeping them warm. Until they are big and strong enough to be planted out and then the real fun begins, and the fruits of my labour really are, well, fruits. Lush green and succulent marrows used in cooking, chutneys and jams.
Then I run into problems. The damn marrows are growing at a rate of knots and before long, my garden is like Day of Triffids and the marrows are growing up and over the raised beds and I’m left playing the role of damsel in distress just like my 1960’s Sci-Fi counterpart.
The problem here though, this overhang of the raised beds is causing the marrows to fail. They prefer to creep across the ground and this elevated position is causing them distress and the main stems are starting to split. So now I am left with a dilemma…
Leave them be, as moving them can cause more distress and the plant might give up completely.
Or, move them to a new location on ground level beds and hope for the best.
I decide to move them because… well, it can’t get any worse. Plus this means I might have a chance at successful fruiting and also the gap left by moving them will give more space to some other plants.
I prepare the areas with my military borne precision and carefully extract the plants and manoeuvre them to their new homes ensuring they are well watered in. Oh, because I also decided to do this one the hottest day of the year… Poor plants, their chances are not great at this point.
I press on…
And finally they are in and I leave them to settle. They don’t look very happy and the stress of moving them has caused the leaves to droop significantly and I look on at the limp tendrils with a clenched heart, have I made the wrong decision? Only time will tell.
Next morning, I am pleased to report the leaves are perking up and the blooms are emerging. It’s still a guessing game as to whether any fruits will flourish, but for now, I know I have at least given them a fighting chance.
Here’s more on Deciding, with Pete and Jen of The Long and The Short Of It Podcast:
https://thelongandtheshortpodcast.com/89-decide
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Abbie Pierce 