Physical and mental therapy

My back surgeon insisted on physical therapy and I insisted on mental therapy. Mental therapy is outside talking to neighbors, plants and my husband. Physical therapy is a 45 minute session with my physical therapist. My husband observed my Pilates session with my PT yesterday and remarked that my session seemed a lot easier than it had with my previous PT. What the man did not understand was that the small, controlled muscle movements were harder than the big ones.

In the garden, you look for spectacular results and when the results are disappointing you make a mental note that the particular method or plant is just not working and it will be replaced next go round. That is definitely the situation with the Pink Brandywines and the Topsy Turvy tree.

The Pink Brandywines use the most water and produce the least amount of fruit I have seen in 36 years of organic gardening. I am a great fan of good producers like Romas, Big Mamas, Park's Whopper, Beefmaster, and Juliets. Hybrids are plants that have been bred for better production and they are typically more disease resistant than heirlooms.

There is even a way to graft heirlooms to hybrid stock for the disease resistance and better production. I have no idea how to do the grafting, but I will find out if it creates better tasting, healthier tomatoes. As I say every year I have had a garden, it is always a science project and I am a scientist at heart.

Gardening requires a real interest in learning. New ideas, new flowers, new vegetables, new methods constantly bombard gardeners every year. A good gardener gets lots of catalogs and spends many quality hours in the throne room deciding what will be in their garden this year.

The Topsy Turvy tree has destroyed 4 perfectly beautiful transplants and the devastation is evident. The tomato plants are splitting and pathetic. A rapid death will be a merciful thing.

The physical reality is true for all of us as we grow older. My own PT sessions say I am getting older and not better unless I let Shannon, my physical therapist or terrorist, put me through the torturous small movements that make my muscles stronger and more willing to work better.

The problem is it is a tough world out there and if you are not a fighter and a producer, you are going to meet your own elimination either by your choice or someone elses.