Look What I Grew!

People love to garden. Going out in the sun and fighting gnats, bees, and bugs is better than it sounds. There's something that getting dirt under your finger nails does like nothing else. It connects you to things that were here before you arrived, and will be here long after you're gone. If you haven't tried it, then give it a whirl.  You're going to be surprised how much you grow to love a few sticks, plants, and bulbs. Which brings us to the picture in this post.

What Is It? 

Yeah. Me neither. When I planted it back in May I stapled the package to the planter.  My dog loves paper better than Purina Chow, so she promptly ate the package. I thought it was Kolb but all the pictures on line say that Kolb is purple. I stopped at the grocery to look for it, and there was something called Kolb Rabi, but this ain't it. Facts are, I simply have no idea. As far as I know now, it could be a weed.

This Summer Was Tough

I went to Maine for a month. I left the garden in the hands of two helpers who don't even like salad, much less tilling the soil. I rained constantly. So not only did the garden get rain, but it also got watered by the automatic sprinkler. Turning the faucet handle to the left was too difficult a task for my helpers. The result was a bit disheartening, but I took a step back and soldiered on. That thing in the picture is a result of my efforts. 

But It's Not About The What-Ever-That-Stuff-Is-Called

It's about purpose.  The picture of that stuff is after it set on the counter for almost a week. I couldn't figure out what to do with it. I didn't know what it was, so I was unsure how to cook it. Or even if it required cooking. So, I did nothing. The hours and hours that I spent watering, tilling, and weeding provided me not a morsel of sustenance. But I don't think it went to waste.  The benefits of growing it were enough for me.  It has helped me understand why people draw garden maps.  If all you've grown is tomatoes and cucumbers it's not a problem. Growing three different varieties of radishes is a different story though. 

What's The Purpose of Your Watch-A-Call-It?

And so we come to the purpose of the post.  You can spend hours and hours on your blog, your website, and your business if that's your passion. Just figure out what you're going to do with it before you do it. If the purpose is just to enjoy what you've accomplished, that's great. If your purpose is to create an income, then decide that as well.  But decide it up front, so you can create a good map of your personal garden. There's nothing wrong with a one plant garden. Mr. Potato Head has done very well with that. Take his advice when it comes to tubers, and forget what he says about blueberries. If you don't, you may not have much to eat.  

Take It From Me

I know this because I have experienced it first hand. Just like the watcha-ma-call-it in the picture, I have grown several businesses without extracting any sustenance from them.  I sold two of them, and closed several from boredom. All were considered successful by any standard. But it wasn't what I had in mind when I started them. All I thought about was how much I loved what I was doing. Once I realized that my real passion was in helping others, things began to change. So, that's what I do. I help others grow their personal gardens, using technology. You can find out how by grabbing the rss feed, or connecting with me on Google+, Facebook, or email.  I'm a good gardener.