Do you experience garden envy? / LJWorld.com

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Asked at Wal-Mart, 550 Congressional Drive on July 19, 2010

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“Not here, no. I’m not from around here. I would (garden) if the climate was better.”

— Gillian Weatherly, graduate student, Great Britain

“No. We have a garden, but my neighbors and I trade peppers and tomatoes.”

— Daniel Perry, independent contractor, Lawrence

“Yeah I do. I want to have a garden, but I know it’s a lot of work and I don’t have a yard.”

— Karen Schneller, business owner, Kansas City, Kan.

“No, no garden envy.”

— Craig Chappell, retired, Lawrence

Garden envy: A (slightly) competitive spirit can produce beautiful results

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RETICENT_IRREVERENT 2 years, 11 months ago

Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's.

misterlee 2 years, 11 months ago

A little. I have a balcony with five tomato plants and a couple of hanging flowers, but I'd enjoy having more room. I miss having a big yard.

impska 2 years, 11 months ago

I had the same thought! There's very little you can't grow here! The growing season is so long. All you have to do is water.

Pywacket 2 years, 11 months ago

Ah, but have you ever been to England? There is nothing like an English garden. So lush. And the English do not have to go broke watering to keep their gardens from withering to desert.

Who can blame Gillian for being dismayed by the beastly, searing climate here? KS has a climate only a native could love. Yeah, you can grow anything (and I'm crazy enough to try a little of everything), but the effort it takes is phenomenal. The heat, the bugs, the yoyo winter temps that break the dormancy needed by trees and other perennials. Oy!

impska 2 years, 11 months ago

Yes, I have. They have slugs the length of your hand there. Cats are everywhere! And the weather can be unpredictable. Every place has it's share of garden problems. Kansas is a paradise compared to my native climate.

Pywacket 2 years, 11 months ago

Shoot, I've seen slugs that long in KS. Could not believe it the first time I saw one. The roaches here are something to behold, as well. I guess the further south you go, the bigger the pests.

What is your native climate like? Are you from Needles? Fairbanks? Duluth?

Yes, everything is relative, of course. Lots of people love the climate here. I've just never become accustomed to it. I'm from SW Michigan, which (if you like snow) has a pretty good climate and excellent growing season.

RETICENT_IRREVERENT 2 years, 11 months ago

autie, You know just as well that there is no such thing as a good brussel sprout.

ms_canada 2 years, 11 months ago

sayz who???

charliejohnson 2 years, 11 months ago

hahaha!!!

nobody1793 2 years, 11 months ago

I've got ranch envy. I keep one head of steer on my patio, but it keeps kicking over the charcoal grill. Spoil sport.

RETICENT_IRREVERENT 2 years, 11 months ago

I am pretty sure that paying $195 for Lady Gaga floor tickets is a deadly sin.

K_Verses_The_World 2 years, 11 months ago

They used to grow food in Kansas Now they want to grow it on the moon and eat it raw I can see the day coming when even your home garden Is gonna be against the law

ms_canada 2 years, 11 months ago

Get some help there, boy!

ms_canada 2 years, 11 months ago

I used to have a huge garden, but whoa, what a lot of work. I still have three large raised beds and that is enough for the two of us. But I still get nostalgic when I see a nice big plot.

CWGOKU 2 years, 11 months ago

Heck no... I do my gardening at Price Chopper and if I don't like that produce I go to Hy-Vee, or Hen House or..........

bearded_gnome 2 years, 11 months ago

TOB, you're right there! brussels sprouts were revealed as a plot by the communists to infiltrate our society and government. this was revealed in the 70's but the russians then poisoned the journalist who found it out.

to that list I'd add asparagus [or however you spell it, bleck!].
now, broccoli I like it.

and TOB, is the devil still booking vacations to he|| so we here can go and cool off?

garden envy? nude gardening?

I think ljworld missed the angle on this one.

oliveoyl 2 years, 11 months ago

All I have to say is NORTH LAWRENCE! The soil plus over 7 hours of sun equal an explosion of fruits and veggies in my yard! There is nothing like growing and eating your own food. It's less expensive as well. I'm guessing we've probably saved around $100 dollars this summer alone in produce. It is a little time consuming but well worth it.

Brussel sprouts are delicious! With butter, shallots, garlic, salt/pepper and roasted walnuts...yummo.

ms_canada 2 years, 11 months ago

olive - you are sooo right, it is all in the preparation. Nothing looks more pathetic than a naked string bean, but a little butter and a sprinkle of nutmeg, yummmmm zucchini sliced lengthwise really thin, sauteed in olive oil and lots of garlic and then sprinkled with balsamic vinegar which has been reduced to the consistancy of honey. sprinkle that with some freshly grated parmesan. to die for. Veggies are very shy, most people don't realize that, they need to be clothed when out in public. Please people save them from embarrassment.

gatekeeper 2 years, 11 months ago

I hate most everything about N. Lawrence, except for the soil. My tomato plants have almost grown over my privacy fence, I have cucumbers that are about to take over the neighbors yard, green beans coming out my ears. My pear trees are about to fall over they have so much fruit this season. It's wonderful. With all the rain this year, I've hardly had to water. My neighbors don't have envy because I give extras to them, especially the elderly man next door.

pagan_idolator 2 years, 11 months ago

The thing I miss most about living in North Lawrence is coming home to bags of produce left on my porch by the gardeners with too much yield. Don't think I ever had to buy tomatoes of cucumbers. Hey! I am at Village Witch - you can leave any excess produce at the door!

CWGOKU 2 years, 11 months ago

Along similar lines, whatever happened to that hard hitting question from last year about whether or not people could bring their dogs to the farmer's market? Wow, hard hitting stuff, miss that question... Yawn.

Brussle sprouts blow

impska 2 years, 11 months ago

If you grew you own, you'd know that stuff isn't so good. Try it! The stuff in the grocery store is bred for shelf-life and looks, not taste.

Kathy Getto 2 years, 11 months ago

That's right, Sarah - using vegetable grade shellac no less.

oliveoyl 2 years, 11 months ago

Agreed with impska. I enjoy growing for two reasons...taste and cost efficiency. No chemicals is a nice bonus. Tastes better than most store bought AND saves me money in the long run. Sure it will take a little money initially but I guarantee if you put the time in you'll get your money back and then some.

As for calling people freaks...if you think about it, these "freaks" are putting money into our local economy by shopping at The Merc...I didn't realize that this was a popularity contest. Sorry for not shopping at Chinamart. I guess I lose then. Last place never tasted so good.

RETICENT_IRREVERENT 2 years, 11 months ago

I'm bred for comfort, not for speed.

CWGOKU 2 years, 11 months ago

Oh.... Jack grows his own allright.

50YearResident 2 years, 11 months ago

I envy all the people that don't have a garden because I think after you add all the expenses for everything needed to grow the garden and factor the labor involved it is a lot cheaper just to buy from the grocery store or farmers market. And, yes, I have a garden that I am throwing money and labor into, darn it!

oliveoyl 2 years, 11 months ago

Aw, I'm sorry to hear you say this! I've found that it has saved me money and not as labor intensive if you do some tricks of the trade in the beginning.

gatekeeper 2 years, 11 months ago

I paid $5 for two tomato plants. $5 for two pepper plants. $1 for a packet of cucumber seeds. $1 for a packet of green bean seed. Very little water from the tap because of the rain. Sunshine is free. Husband spent about an hour tilling the soil. Pluck weeds every once in a while when harvesting.

$12 and a little labor (which is good exercise I'm sure everyone could use) and I have veggies to feed my family, my elderly neighbor and my parents. I am lucky that I have N. Lawrence soil, but I always had gardens before I moved there and didn't have to spend much money on them.

50YearResident 2 years, 11 months ago

Gatekeeper, here is some things that you are leaving out, Tilling expense( buy or rent tiller), herbicides, fertilizers, mulch, hoe, shovel, many other tools, water costs (I bet you are watering now) labor (only free for the person that does not do it) plus what you mentions, cost of plants and seeds.

scopi_guy 2 years, 11 months ago

If you're only going to do a garden once, then you're right. It doesn't make financial sense. But many do it for a lifetime or at least several years. After the first five years or so, I'd bet those things more than pay for themselves. Our vegetable garden was always bigger than our house when I was growing up. Impliments bought used (they were made better decades ago anyway) at auctions usually can be had for a few bucks each. Don't forget an old fishing rod (used to make the long rows straight). Everything was either canned or frozen to eat throughout the year (more expense there, but again will more than pay for itself). We never bought vegetables from the store, except lettuce. Whenever we tried growing it, it always got full of bugs for some reason.