This article was originally published in “Lehman’s Country Life” blog for Father’s Day
Father’s Day Memories
By Dori Fritzinger
My Father’s garden was his passion. By December he would have all his seeds ordered and every day for a couple of weeks there would be boxes and envelopes in or by the mail boxes.
While he waited for their arrival there were many things “behind the scenes” to get ready. The large garden had to be plowed, and rotor tilled. His “Plant Room” as he called it (this room was downstairs off the finished basement), had to be prepared. The table the plants would be set on, was 2 ft x 4 ft and had been scrubbed spotless. All his growing lights, set to the correct heights, replacing bulbs if needed. Once the room was complete to his specifications, he would start planting seeds into their peat pots. Each and everyday he would check them, watering when needed and adjusting the light height as they grew.
When the plants were tall and strong he would start to harden them off in his garage, then moving them outside during the days, carried in at night. Once he was sure they were ready he would start the planting of the cold weather crops that he had prepared, in nearly every variety they could ever come in. This is while he was still caring for the multitude of tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and a myriads of other kinds of plants that enjoyed warmer weather.
Daddy suddenly passed in 2011, he was unhooking his rotor tiller from his tractor. The garden was ready for us to carry on. In his “Plant Room” as well as garage were hundreds of plants waiting for our love and affection. Daddy always planted enough to supply the entire family with plants for their gardens.
Each year the family and I prepare the earth and plant the garden he loved so much. Always will it bring memories of his passion and love for me and his family. I will always miss him.
©2015
Life Can Get Messy 