A Wild Ride

I decided to transplant my struggling tomato plants yesterday with the hope of giving them a new breath of life in our composted garden soil. It was a hot and sunny day, so I decided to plant them in the evening when things started to cool off. At the exact moment I smoothed the soil over the last tomato plant, I saw a flash of lightning followed by the sound of crashing thunder. Dang. The wind started to pick up so I hurriedly tried to wrap the tomato cages in plastic, but I didn't have much time before darkness came. My wimpy efforts provided little protection.

I went to bed anxious and nervous last night. I had already saved my plants from tiny leaf sucking aphids and my reckless overwatering (correctly diagnosed by Collette, my plant doctor), and I didn't want a blustery storm to be the cause of their death. I listened to the sounds of hail beating on the rooftop and wind howling in the trees all night long. I had nightmares that my plants had been ripped from their roots and lay lifeless on the ground.

Daylight finally came and a quick glance out the window told me that my plants were still alive and sitting safely in the ground as they should be, although my plastic coverings had been completely ripped from the cages and lay strewn about the garden. The plants survived a wild ride last night, but only time will tell if they've sustained any internal injuries from it or not. If I can keep it from snowing in June this year I just might get to harvest a tomato or two come summer.

Can you believe all of this emotional energy is being wasted on little seedlings that cost me $4.50 for all 12 of them? It's quite embarrassing, really.