Trying Something

My husband and I have a little saying whenever one of us is doing something that is likely not going to turn out well. It goes something like this, "I'm just trying something, okay?" Whatever the silly act might be, uttering this excuse prevents any further ridicule. It's like saying, "Hey, I need to learn this for myself."

If we carry this to the garden, where most everything is trial and error, this trying can teach more than any book or garden show. We remember how it felt to have dirt on our hands, the smell of the fertilizer as we watched it scatter around, the first glimpse of a bud beginning to form. Lastly, we recall the little white bug that showed up and invited his friends.

Whitefly causes great alarm in gardeners because it reproduces at such a fast rate. I was talking with a friend of mine the other day about treatments, and he poo-pooed the organic option that was given to him at our store. I poo-pooed the chemicals that kill everything. Finally, we poo-pooed the nerdy conversation that was taking place at his wife's birthday party and decided that our debate take place another time.

I was left wondering, though. You see, although I recommend organic products a lot, caution against unnecessary use of pesticides, and poke fun at those who hold them dear, I am a flexible gal-occasionally. Could it be that whitefly requires something more than I had offered.

So, after work, lastnight, I began trying something. It was the same organic something on the growing whitefly population in my raised veggie bed. I'll keep you posted.