Lazy gardener

[AlittleSalt]

Originally Posted by Hollylasue

I agree with you that she just doesn't really want to spend time gardening.I am just trying to help since her girls are excited about it.Maybe if she had one decent year she would keep it up and the work wouldn't be as bad.I know how much my girl loves to garden and we even do her her own plot now.So I am just trying to get a semi successful season. Also I can do lettuce as long as it's loose leaf and not head.I had attempted brocolli 3 years and only got tiny little heads.Emma (9 year old daughter) got 12 huge heads last year.She was unbearably smug �� .She also got more Mr.Stripey off one plant than I had in multiple years so maybe she will plant melons this year

I think it's cool that she and her daughters are interested in gardening. Our grandchildren are interested too. We are learning that our two sons (Men) are interested too. One of the things I liked about my wife back when she was a girlfriend was that she loved gardening, nature, and she would wade a trotline with me in the middle of the night in January. Even our supposedly macho guy friends wouldn't wade a trotline in 45 degree water.
The reason why I deviated is what you wrote about how your friend's husband MIGHT get it ready. She might be lacking motivation because her husband isn't helping in the right ways. Growing a very low maintenance garden might be exactly what she needs to get started? (Just an idea/thought.)

Her daughters wanting to learn gardening - I personally believe in helping our youth learn is the right thing. As we age, we become mentors. Sometimes teaching by example is best even when we fail. It never hurts to learn from them along the way.

[pmcgrady]

Originally Posted by gorbelly

I would be careful. People like this often suck up your time and then, when results are not great because they don't want to put in the work, they will often resent you, even though all you did was help.

If the girls are excited about gardening, maybe you can offer to let them come over and help you in your garden. Maybe you could plant a couple extra containers with easy to grow stuff for them. Then you could let them take home some of the veggies when the time comes. And if they lose interest, as is often the case with kids trying new things, you have some extra veggies. That way, at least the time they spend with you gardening would be time when they were learning how to do things the right way, as opposed to the black thumb lessons they'd be getting at home.

Otherwise, I can see this becoming a drain on your time and energy with very little reward and possibly some unwarranted hostility.

DOWNER.....really?

[Hollylasue]

Update: I am going tomorrow to do the cardboard thing so maybe she won't have to till it.I'm taking some compost to add and pine straw mulch on top of the cardboard.In going to go help her plant this spring.For the first year I have talked her into doing half of it with just a few plants and flowers on the other side to minimize the work but make it fun for her and the girls.We are also going to do a bean teepee just for fun.Emma does one every year and it is one of her favorites.Thanks for all the input!! I love all of the ideas and will incorporate them.As far as it being a drain on me and negativity we are the only 2 pair in our department 5 days/forty hours a week, we don't completely agree on anything but if we get annoyed we just go away for a few minutes.I don't think she would ever resent me for attempting to help.

[Nattybo!]

Hi...my name is Nattybo and I'm a lazy gardener

I'm with Maxjohnson, your friend needs some perennials. I love my rosemary and sage plants. Rosemary at the front door and sage is by the back door. I planted them years ago and they just keep getting bigger and my cooking gets better and my kids get smarter! How many 5th grade boys know what a sage/rosemary plant is? Mine runs out regularly to gather some leaves for dinner.

Some other plants that are lazy gardener friendly are dill (reseeds itself) and Swiss chard (just keeps going). Some easy flowers are zinnias and cosmos.

Baby steps. A few successes is what keeps us all going. You are a good friend Hollylasue.

[bower]

Originally Posted by oakley

I would cover it for her. Cardboard boxes cut up flat over some newspaper for the winter
so all the nasty grasses will die down. If it needs to be pretty, cover all that with straw or
grass clippings that can be removed and used as mulch once planted.

I'm all for helping friends that don't have the interest or time. Sunflowers and a bean teepee are fast growers. A mound of a few squash and babyBoo pumpkins?
One small bag of good amended soil mix in the few planting holes should help the soil.
No need to go nuts on the entire bed like i do/most of us do.

Just need to give the bed a chance by killing off all the unwanted grass seedlings.

I've done just this a few times for friends with young ones. The years i have helped with no more than a few hours using my seeds and starts had great mini gardens...but lack of interest from the parents went bust and overgrown the following season. They just needed to cover again but did not. ha-rumph. oh well...
Friends did this for me when I had lost contact with my garden. They gave me back my joy.

Sometimes a small help can turn the tide. It is worth it .

Really depends on how much time you can offer to help.

[MuddyToes]

I agree with all of Nattybo!'s suggestions. If she doesn't cook much, she might not know what to do with the fresh herbs and vegetables. Maybe offer a few simple recipes, too, like roasted potatoes with fresh rosemary. Tastes better than French Fries. My picky eater even likes them.

My cooking repertoire has expanded with my garden.

[My Foot Smells]

you fail to mention how old this lil' girl is, or maybe I missed it.

under 7 I would just opt for some small container gardening projects unless you are willing to take over the garden responsibilities and take her on as a helper.

[Hollylasue]

She will be 8 by spring. Which should be old enough to help a good deal maybe.Mine does but she loves it and knows that it is worth it for the veggies. I believe if the daughter loses interest then they would just let it grow up like past years.

[My Foot Smells]

Originally Posted by Hollylasue

She will be 8 by spring. Which should be old enough to help a good deal maybe.Mine does but she loves it and knows that it is worth it for the veggies. I believe if the daughter loses interest then they would just let it grow up like past years.

Great age to get involved. I would think GIANT Sunflowers would need to be on the list - low maintenance, big results. Maybe a watermelon. Of course, anything can be planted. Containers might still be good for other types. I would start small to keep manageable. Love the idea.

[MarlynnMarcks]

What about the good old standby, radishes? Never say a kid that couldn't grow them.

[b54red]

Originally Posted by MarlynnMarcks

What about the good old standby, radishes? Never say a kid that couldn't grow them.

I agree. I started all my kids off with radishes and despite their taste they would even eat them in a salad since they took such pride in having grown them.

Get a couple of Big Beef plants. They are fairly disease resistant and productive down here when many others aren't. They will need some support but if she doesn't want to fertilize or take care of them they shouldn't get too large anyway but they will still make some edible tomatoes.

Bill

[Hollylasue]

I ordered some multi colored radish seed and sunflowers and zinnias. Big beef is a great suggestion as they are cheap at Lowes.Thanks

[Down_South]

Just buy veggies from the supermarket and turn the raised bed in to a sand box for the kids.