When you give up, look at the few beautiful things you can be grateful for.
There are many types of vegetables and herbs that I started adding to my organic garden. Some of them succeeded without major obstacles. Meanwhile, some plants frustrate me.
This is my story of almost giving up on my garden. I cried when I told my husband that my eggplant plants were being attacked by pests. I feel like I just want to give up and don't want to plant anything anymore.
My eggplant plants are being attacked by pests. They hide behind the leaves! I shuddered to see these little pests eating the leaves of my eggplant plants. The thing that makes me sad is that all this time I have been paying close attention to my eggplant plants and applying organic pesticides. But still, the pests come back again and again.
Then, my husband easily said, "You are a woman, everything is brought to feelings, just give up. Go see the tomatoes and chilies that are already bearing fruit."
Indeed, if you think about it, maybe I was the one who was emotional at that time. My husband is right. I should have looked at other plants that were already flowering and bearing fruit.
I felt like I was starting to get stronger again. I walked into my garden and saw that there were many things that kept me from giving up.
I remembered the words of my late mother. "Be grateful then we will be happy and not want to give up."
Indeed, in this life, there are ups and downs. I should have realized that. Especially in organic gardens there will be even more challenges because they do not use chemicals for pesticides and fertilizers.
I looked at my tomato plants which were starting to show lots of fruit. The tomatoes began to grow. Also, there are many more baby tomatoes that have just been "born".
Apart from that, I also saw my chili plants which had developed from flowering to fruiting. Of beautiful white flowers. Become chili fruits that are still green and small.
Seeing these things makes me grateful. Of the unpleasant things, it turns out there are many things I should be grateful for. Also, the water spinach I harvested a few days ago.
Hot days and no rain for almost a month in the area where I live make it easier for pests to attack plants. My husband said, so it's normal if there are some pests that can't be removed completely.
Finally, I bought some marigolds to plant in my garden. I hope there will be less pests in my garden.
The Good News
After several days of me contemplating and gathering my energy again, I got good news from my garden.
Yeay! Take a closer look. It turns out my eggplant plants have been producing tiny flowers! I am very happy!
I thought I wouldn't be able to see the eggplant flowers after I saw the pests attacking my plants. I smiled and felt that my struggle was not in vain.
Indeed, when pests attack, I more often trim the eggplant leaves affected by pests to avoid other eggplant leaves also being infected by pests.
Pruning the leaves affected by these pests makes the eggplant plant produce new shoots and makes the eggplant plant survive again.
Without realizing it, nature does have natural healers that I couldn't predict. They heal themselves in their own amazing way!
What gardening story made you almost give up? Well, until next on my garden journal.
I share photos of beautiful sunsets in my garden taken from my bedroom window. I am grateful for all the beautiful things I have experienced until now. And oh, sorry my garden if I ever wanted to give up too quickly!
Thank you for reading my blog and reblog if you want my blog this time worthy of reading by others.
Best Regards,
Anggrek Lestari
Anggrek Lestari is an Indonesian fiction writer who has published two major books. Now She is a full-time content creator. She has a goal to share life, poem, and food content that makes others happy and can get inspiration.
Contact Person: authoranggreklestari@gmail.com
Discord: anggreklestari#3009