This week the rush is on to harvest all things possible. See we had a bit of a problem this week. My husband is lucky to be alive. Since he is still alive he is lucky he is not maimed or seriously injured in some way. *AHEM* More in a minute - but here are my harvest pictures and totals this week -
Hot peppers 1.7oz Tomatoes 7lb 9oz
Cucumbers 3lb 7.5oz Zucchini 2oz Lakota (Winter) Squash 15lb 14oz Tomatillo 3lb 11oz
OHOHOH And BROCCOLI 3 OZ!!!
Oh- My Husband you ask? HE USED MY GARDEN SPRAYER FOR WEED KILLER> That's right. The garden sprayer that I used to spray EVERY. SINGLE. PLANT. with copper. Every plant in the garden. Every tree. Every bush. Every houseplant.... even. the. lawn.
Remember the dead and dying bell peppers? The dying tomatoes? The strawberries that suddenly went from production to withering? The Lakota squash plants that were big and beautiful and now are moldy and rotting? the Cucumbers that were doing so well? Yeah well the cucumbers on the back side of the trellis are still alive. The ones that wouldn't be hit by the spray.
My avocado trees? Look like they have fire blight -but I know better. It's the toxins working their magic. I am absolutely sick to my stomach constantly. I'm watering like heck just trying to get SOME of the things to pull through. Even if I can only get the mature trees to pull out of it.... YEARS of work could very well be going down the drain. Years waiting for apples, pomegranate and grapes, and kiwi to produce. Things I may never see come to fruition. I quite literally sat straight up in a cold sweat from a nightmare this morning only to realize that my nightmare was my own reality. :-(
This could quite possibly mean not only years of work but thousands of dollars as well. Not to mention the heartbreak.(and stomachache - and back ache of the work) So I contemplated just shutting the blog down while I worked out what was going to happen. What would live, what would die. But, this is still all just part of gardening right? Mistakes happen. This is probably the biggest mistake that could happen and MAYBE it won't be that bad. I DID rinse out the sprayer. I always do. It's a cardinal rule of mine. I am careful that way in case by some strange turn of events something contaminates my sprayer. But we all know how strong those chemicals are.
So while I contemplate how on God's green Earth I even COULD replace all the living things in my home and yard I'm going to go vomit and I hope that you are having a better week than I am.
'Till next time.
Barbie.
Oh No!!! I had almost the same thing happen to me (read here: http://cortinacreek.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-bees-have-been-murdered.html and here: http://cortinacreek.blogspot.com/2011/05/drift.html). Don't give up. I dosed my plants with worm compost tea in the a.m. and the p.m. everyday for a couple weeks. I removed the first couple inches of dirt and replaced with worm castings...I babied everything...I only lost my peas, one bin of potato plants, a plum tree and a cardoon. The avacado, cherry and apple trees looked like heck for awhile...but are starting to look pretty good now. I know you are just sick. I cried for a week...I am so sorry. But, you need to put on your big girl panties get out there and do the best you can with what you've got. Don't give up.
ReplyDeleteOh no! What a tragedy! I hope he is helping you to try to salvage something.
ReplyDeleteOh, Barbie...that's terrible! That's even worse than my husband and his chain saw! At our house, the husband is not allowed near anything that sprays. I have two sprayers, and one has a big frowny face on it to show it is only to be used for herbicides. But, that being said, I'm surprised so much damage was done after washing out the sprayer. I would have been more concerned about wind drift while he was spraying. However it happened, it would certainly be heart breaking.
ReplyDeleteOh, Barbie, first of all - your harvest looks amazing! I have not had the courage to try peppers (heard they were hard) and wouldn't know what to do with a tomatillo, although yours looks scrumptious. And broccoli! I have tried broccoli several years, but have never had a harvest. Since I love broccoli, I'll keep trying.
ReplyDeleteAnd about the spraying - I feel so sorry for you! Keep watering. Maybe it will dilute it enough. Plants are tougher than we give them credit for sometimes, so next year you may not be able to see too much damage. Don't shut your blog down - we will all be curious to know if you could minimize the damage.
Oh no :( Don't give up hope. Keep working your magic and help your plants make it through!
ReplyDeleteOH NO!! Justifiable homicide?? Keeping my fingers crossed for you (and your husband) ....
ReplyDeleteI was just heartsick for you reading about this. :( I second what everyone else has said though, keep applying first aid as you can and don't quite give up hope yet. Nature is more resilient than we give her credit for and you may be surprised by what pulls through.
ReplyDeleteOh Barbie, I'm so sorry. What a horrible accident. I guess I'm lucky that my husband stays out of the yard and I have to do all the work. I hope things survive for you, especially the trees.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry Barbie!
ReplyDeleteOh no, that is awful. I know it was an accident but that doesn't make it any easier. I hope things survive and do well!
ReplyDeleteDon't give up! There must be some way to recover. I have to teach my husband many times to treat my plant gently especially the young ones when he helps water them.
ReplyDelete