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My Plants


I'm developing something of a green thumb, or at least a green pinkie. Two years ago I set up a little garden patch in my back yard, and since then I've been trying out various kinds of fruits and vegetables, with varying degrees of success.

This year I tried some seeds from a Howell melon and a gourd. I tried to start the melon inside the house, in a little Styrofoam cup; unfortunately, I think it makes the plants weak (or something). The gourd seeds, on the other hand, I planted directly into the ground. Here's the result:

BOOM

The photo doesn't really do justice to the infestation that is Gordy the Gourd. He has these hand-like feelers on the ends of his vines, which seem to reach out for something to grab; I've caught him trying repeatedly to crawl across the lawn toward the house. Mostly I just redirect his energies back to the fence. Eventually I may have to prune the beast.

And the melon? Well, Melanie the Melon is not having quite the same success...

Huh.

Melanie sends out her shoots in a half-hearted sort of way..."Oh...I guess I'll just go this way...maybe. Huh. Guess that didn't work. Maybe I'll just lay here..." I'm beginning to wonder if she just needs more sunlight, or something. Then again, from noon to sundown my garden gets plenty of light. I guess Gordy just had a better head-start than Melanie, having been grown outside all his life.

For now, the two plants occupy their separate corners of the garden, eyeing each other. It's an uneasy standoff. Gordy is beginning to stealthily creep around the opposite corners of the fence, and if he keeps growing, I'm pretty sure he'll have Melanie encircled by the end of September...and then it's only a matter of time...

Melanie on the left, Gordy on the right...

Rick Out.

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