Tomato growing as purpose & therapy - Page 2

slugworth · May 22, 2017

I have seen convalescent homes with raised beds so people can still garden.

dmforcier · May 22, 2017

God bless you, mensplace. There's nothing like grabbing a cup of coffee first thing in the morning and taking it outside to check on the plants to put a sunny cast on the whole day! Staring at walls is not good for people.

Now, why not consider a couple things. First, try something other than tomatoes. Peppers are very close and generally not as overwhelming as big tom plants. Second, roust a neighborhood kid to do the things you can't. If necessary use $$ as bribes.

Let us know how it goes!

Dennis

jtjmartin · May 22, 2017

Mensplace:

Thanks for sharing your story. My garden is often my sanity. And my sanity apparently required me to grow 60 some tomatoes this year.

I had a hip replaced a few years back. Before the operation, I used to think: "I can hurt in the house or out of the house . . . I might as well get something done." Some days, I couldn't even bend over to plant a tomato in a hole.

Things are much better - gardening really helped. I hope and pray your life takes a good turn too!

Jeff

peebee · May 23, 2017

It's wonderful to see you posting again Mensplace, I wondered where you were! I am sorry to hear of your health issues but I am heartened to see you have taken it upon yourself to once again touch the soil. There is nothing better to heal the mind and body. Wishing you a summer of tomato sandwiches till you are sick of them!

KarenO · May 23, 2017

I love tomatoes too and my garden has provided me with a lot of solace as well as pleasure over the years.
many dwarfs and determinates can be very rewarding without the more difficult work of maintaining large indeterminate plants.
Check out the micro dwarf threads too, those are great fun to grow and the micro breeders are generous with seeds for trial
Best of luck,
KarenO

Nan_PA_6b · May 23, 2017

It's great what you're doing, Mensplace! Every life needs some purpose. I second the micrdwarf idea, especially indoors in winter! Do you have grow lights? Micros give you cherries in winter and they also make good gifts (once fruit is set, they'll ripen in less light).

As for other veggies, zucchini or yellow squash comes to mind:

Zucchini and Tomatoes: Use about equal amounts of zucchini (or other summer squash) and tomatoes. Use one or two onions. Slice zucchini into ½ “ thick slices, about bite-size. Chop onion. Put onion & zucchini into a pot with a LITTLE water and a little oil. Put on stove and simmer, covered, checking to see that there is enough liquid (it will make its own). Cook until vegetables are soft and change color slightly, or are cooked the way you like them. While that is cooking, do this: Boil a pot of water. Put tomatoes in according to the following times: full-sized tomatoes, 30 seconds, then take them out & put in cold water to cool. Cherry tomatoes: 5 seconds. Over- ripe tomatoes: about 15 seconds. You're boiling to make the skins easy to peel. Dump out the hot and cold waters. Next, peel off the skins, remove the core at the top of the tomato, and cut out any blemishes. Cut them the same size as the zucchini. Check your cooked zucchini and onions. If there's too much liquid, drain some out. Add the tomatoes. Cook a bit longer. Add salt to taste.

Nan

Worth1 · May 23, 2017

Glad to see you post again I wondered where you went and missed you.

Worth

Nematode · May 26, 2017

Oven towel

imp · May 26, 2017

Like the towel!

Glad to see you posting mensplace, and good to hear you are growing things again.

May 26, 2017

I don't know how I would survive without my garden- my hubby of nearly 49 years passed away 1 month ago after 14 long agonizing months of illness following his 2nd stroke. He had a feeding tube for his last 10 months but his system lost it's ability to use the nutrition. We had caregivers for 4 hours every day, and unless I had shopping to do, I spent that time digging in the dirt, planting and tending my babies. Now after he is gone I go out and tend them as I cry for him. It is my only consolation while I grieve-

Nan_PA_6b · May 26, 2017

Jo, I'm so sorry for your loss! May your good memories and your garden bring you comfort.

Nan

imp · May 26, 2017

Jo, I am so sorry for your losing your beloved. I've cried into dish water, as well as the garden, other times it's just a numbness that affects your whole life.

Hope it gets better for you and that you keep planting and growing. There is something in watching life renew it's self that is soothing .

mensplace · May 29, 2017

MY best thoughts and prayers for anyone and everyone experiencing loss and pain of any kind. Too, my great thanks for the many great ideas, suggestions and comments. Community and friendships of any kind are invaluable. You can't force the process of healing. My loss of my wife and family was the loss of everything I valued and lived for. After that I was totally alone for two years. YES I cried endlessly and screamed. I was virtually paralyzed with the loss of everything I was. Thankfully, I was picked up by the collar, shaken good, and led to that still tiny seed of faith...totally different from religion alone. I was led to write all that I knew and had experienced through long days and nights in which 800 pages didn't come from me, but from getting myself out of the way.

Re the tomatoes, I now have two rows of six each. My next task will be to put landscaping fabric around all around them. Trouble is, just getting out to them must wait for a cooler day with overcast. Wish I lived where we don't have such heat and humidity! With AFIB, COPD, two strokes, two stints, and a rapidly fusing skeletal system, just getting out to them is a challenge. Life happens. I refuse to surrender to the pain that is everywhere 24/7, but, on the other hand, will not risk another stroke when I simply can't get out into the heat.

I enjoy doing that which I can, knowing I have accomplished so much just getting these started, and celebrate that you good folks are there with such great ideas and positive support. For those in pain or simply trying to endure loss, please know that you are not alone!

May 22, 2017	#17
dmforcier Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,825	God bless you, mensplace. There's nothing like grabbing a cup of coffee first thing in the morning and taking it outside to check on the plants to put a sunny cast on the whole day! Staring at walls is not good for people. Now, why not consider a couple things. First, try something other than tomatoes. Peppers are very close and generally not as overwhelming as big tom plants. Second, roust a neighborhood kid to do the things you can't. If necessary use $$ as bribes. Let us know how it goes! Dennis __________________ Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out? - Will Rogers

May 22, 2017	#16
slugworth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: connecticut,usa Posts: 1,150	I have seen convalescent homes with raised beds so people can still garden.

May 22, 2017	#18
jtjmartin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: Williamsburg VA Zone 7b Posts: 1,110	Mensplace: Thanks for sharing your story. My garden is often my sanity. And my sanity apparently required me to grow 60 some tomatoes this year. I had a hip replaced a few years back. Before the operation, I used to think: "I can hurt in the house or out of the house . . . I might as well get something done." Some days, I couldn't even bend over to plant a tomato in a hole. Things are much better - gardening really helped. I hope and pray your life takes a good turn too! Jeff

May 23, 2017	#19
peebee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Southern CA Posts: 1,714	It's wonderful to see you posting again Mensplace, I wondered where you were! I am sorry to hear of your health issues but I am heartened to see you have taken it upon yourself to once again touch the soil. There is nothing better to heal the mind and body. Wishing you a summer of tomato sandwiches till you are sick of them!

May 23, 2017	#20
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,922	I love tomatoes too and my garden has provided me with a lot of solace as well as pleasure over the years. many dwarfs and determinates can be very rewarding without the more difficult work of maintaining large indeterminate plants. Check out the micro dwarf threads too, those are great fun to grow and the micro breeders are generous with seeds for trial Best of luck, KarenO

May 23, 2017	#21
Nan_PA_6b Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 3,194	It's great what you're doing, Mensplace! Every life needs some purpose. I second the micrdwarf idea, especially indoors in winter! Do you have grow lights? Micros give you cherries in winter and they also make good gifts (once fruit is set, they'll ripen in less light). As for other veggies, zucchini or yellow squash comes to mind: Zucchini and Tomatoes: Use about equal amounts of zucchini (or other summer squash) and tomatoes. Use one or two onions. Slice zucchini into ½ “ thick slices, about bite-size. Chop onion. Put onion & zucchini into a pot with a LITTLE water and a little oil. Put on stove and simmer, covered, checking to see that there is enough liquid (it will make its own). Cook until vegetables are soft and change color slightly, or are cooked the way you like them. While that is cooking, do this: Boil a pot of water. Put tomatoes in according to the following times: full-sized tomatoes, 30 seconds, then take them out & put in cold water to cool. Cherry tomatoes: 5 seconds. Over- ripe tomatoes: about 15 seconds. You're boiling to make the skins easy to peel. Dump out the hot and cold waters. Next, peel off the skins, remove the core at the top of the tomato, and cut out any blemishes. Cut them the same size as the zucchini. Check your cooked zucchini and onions. If there's too much liquid, drain some out. Add the tomatoes. Cook a bit longer. Add salt to taste. Nan

May 23, 2017	#22
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Glad to see you post again I wondered where you went and missed you. Worth

May 26, 2017	#24
imp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Wichita Falls, Texas Posts: 4,832	Like the towel! Glad to see you posting mensplace, and good to hear you are growing things again.

May 26, 2017	#25
JoParrott Guest Posts: n/a	I don't know how I would survive without my garden- my hubby of nearly 49 years passed away 1 month ago after 14 long agonizing months of illness following his 2nd stroke. He had a feeding tube for his last 10 months but his system lost it's ability to use the nutrition. We had caregivers for 4 hours every day, and unless I had shopping to do, I spent that time digging in the dirt, planting and tending my babies. Now after he is gone I go out and tend them as I cry for him. It is my only consolation while I grieve-

May 29, 2017	#28
mensplace Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: USA Posts: 1,013	MY best thoughts and prayers for anyone and everyone experiencing loss and pain of any kind. Too, my great thanks for the many great ideas, suggestions and comments. Community and friendships of any kind are invaluable. You can't force the process of healing. My loss of my wife and family was the loss of everything I valued and lived for. After that I was totally alone for two years. YES I cried endlessly and screamed. I was virtually paralyzed with the loss of everything I was. Thankfully, I was picked up by the collar, shaken good, and led to that still tiny seed of faith...totally different from religion alone. I was led to write all that I knew and had experienced through long days and nights in which 800 pages didn't come from me, but from getting myself out of the way. Re the tomatoes, I now have two rows of six each. My next task will be to put landscaping fabric around all around them. Trouble is, just getting out to them must wait for a cooler day with overcast. Wish I lived where we don't have such heat and humidity! With AFIB, COPD, two strokes, two stints, and a rapidly fusing skeletal system, just getting out to them is a challenge. Life happens. I refuse to surrender to the pain that is everywhere 24/7, but, on the other hand, will not risk another stroke when I simply can't get out into the heat. I enjoy doing that which I can, knowing I have accomplished so much just getting these started, and celebrate that you good folks are there with such great ideas and positive support. For those in pain or simply trying to endure loss, please know that you are not alone!