Gardening Lesson #1: A "small" plot is still a lot of work

It's Opening Day at the garden and they are having a little "meet and greet" and I am pumped. The Master Gardener shows me my plot (like the first day of school, I had already scoped the scene out on my own but wanted 100% confirmation before digging). I had requested the smallest size available, 10ftX10ft because Andy doesn't eat many vegetables so I was only going to be growing for about 1.5 adults. We can't get started on our plots Opening Day because it has been raining for what seems like weeks and it's freezing cold.

Two weeks go by and it's still raining. Mom and Trent come up to help me get started but the rain keeps us from planting. M&T both notice immediately that the plot is larger than 10X10 and Trent estimates it at closer to 20X8. Mom provides me with a lovely map and we wonder around a local nursery that weekend, looking for plants to include in our Crowe Garden 2011. Then, Mom and Trent leave me with their shovel and I'm on my own...

When the rain finally clears I decide to get started. I drag my shovel to the plot, slide my work gloves on and get movin'. As in breaking up all of the dirt. Our plots were all tilled at the beginning of the season but with a month of rain, the dirt is certainly compacted and not ready for planting. So I dig. And turn. And dig. And turn. And dig. And turn until my hands are full of blisters. Luckily I did get the entire space turned over before I had to throw the shovel down in disgust. The next day, I excitedly go buy some arugula, spinach, brussel sprouts, and lettuce with hopes of keeping them alive at home until it is warm enough to plant.

Then more rain.

The spinach doesn't make it. Neither does the arugula. Some lettuce dies too. The brussel sprouts hang on.

Finally, it's time to plant. Andy and I go to the garden. He is the official map reader. I am the official planter. By this time we also have zucchini and squash, cucumbers, a watermelon, and three tomato plants. We arrive. The plot has these strange things sprouting that, when pulled, look sort of like red, horizontal carrots. I did them up and plant. It's a huge accomplishment and I am excited. Andy perks up when I mention that we need to water. He becomes to official watering man.

The next time I go to the garden (usually I go on the weekends) there are a lot of...weeds. Which brings me to my next lesson: weeds.