I suspect that was a bad idea (gardening)

[redbird]

I strained my right thumb on Monday (too much use of a pen, from too much time doing crossword and sudoku puzzles).

Tuesday I mostly spent reading, because that was the way to keep cool and not use my hands much (both those days were very hot, I think high of 95 F/35 C on Monday and 91/33 on Tuesday, and bright sun both days). Yesterday's weather was delightful (sunny and around 74° (23 C). I went out for a nice long walk and got lunch and ice cream, then went to a farmers' market (the one in Davis Square), where I got strawberries and Diva cucumbers.

Then home, and some amount of computer stuff; both at the computer and while eating lunch, I used my left hand a lot more than usual, to spare the right thumb.

So of course by the end of the day my left thumb was feeling overused, though the right hand was a lot better. *sigh*

Nonetheless, this morning I went to the garden supply store and bought a dozen marigolds, which I have planted around the tomatoes in the front garden. (We have five tomato plants, and I had previously planted six marigolds, which isn't enough.) I also watered everything (well, all the vegetables, and the two sunflower plants in the planting strip next to the street), but exercised self-control in the matter of weeding: I removed only those weeds that were in the way of where I wanted the marigolds.

That was less gardening that I might have wanted to do, and a lot less than the garden could use, but it may have been more than was prudent in terms of my hands.

Some of the clover seed I set out, either last fall or this spring, sprouted, so I am now carefully leaving that as well as the sorrel in the ground. The sorrel is pretty, but I'll pull it out if it's in the way; the clover I actively want, for the sake of the soil. I planted about ten sunflower seeds, from a packet I was sent last year, and got two plants. And there is a lot of milkweed.

Comments

[umadoshi]

How close can you plant the marigolds to the tomatoes?

I hope your hands feel better quickly!

[redbird]

A foot or so away (30 cm), I think. I haven't measured, just made sure they're outside the base of the tomato cage. I think the ones I put in a couple of weeks ago, half of which went around one plant, are further away, but not a lot further: I planted a circle, alternating marigolds and basil, three of each.

[umadoshi]

Thank you! ^_^ We bought marigolds hoping we could put them into pots with tomatoes, but I suspect it's mostly not going to work well. (The "mostly" is because we have a 20-gallon fabric pot that we haven't put tomatoes in yet, and there may be room in that one for marigolds as well.)

[redbird]

1) Don't take me as any kind of expert on gardening. This is the second time in the last 35 years that I've planted a garden (we lived in apartments for a very long time).

2) I've seen pots for sale at the nursery with tomatoes, marigolds, and I don't remember what else (some other vegetable? calendula?) and there didn't seem to be a lot of space between the tomatoes and the marigolds, so I think I'm going to be okay. I also put marigolds next to the tomatoes last year, but I don't remember what spacing I used.

[umadoshi]

Those are also both good things to know. ^_^

[42itous]

Speaking of crossword puzzles, you may be interested in going to the National Puzzlers' League convention, which happens to be in Boston this year. It involves lots of word games and puzzles, puzzle geeks, and other related fun. If you want to go to just one session, it's free (registering for the entire con is more pricey, $314.16). The dates are Thurs July 6 through Sunday July 9 (most of the fun stuff happens in the evenings, particularly Saturday evening), and it's on the 6th floor of the Revere Hotel in downtown Boston (across Boston Common from Park St T).

Your marigolds look good; I noticed them today.

[minoanmiss]

*pets your hand healingly*

[st_aurafina]

Sympathies on your hand - I hope it's feeling better soon.

And good luck with your plants!