Sometimes–it’s time to fold ’em

October 30, 2024

If the key to life is simply living it..  The key to understanding may be simply realizing that wisdom is all around even in unlikely places.  Our job is to realize wisdom when we find it—and then apply it .

     For an example let’s think about these simple lines:

          YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN TO HOLD EM

          YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN TO FOLD EM

          YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN TO WALK AWAY

          YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN TO RUN

     Few words but the ideas are wise and useful.  No where more so than in the garden at this time of the year.  We start with the first of course.  And actually this idea was most important a little earlier in the year.

     How was it so useful?  well the yellow cosmos are a great example.  All summer they grew and grew.  No flowers at all.  Some falling over due to the weight of stems and leaves.  A passerby was heard to say ” I don’t know about those green leafy things they sure are big”  Were they a terrible mistake?  Are they ever going to bloom?  Are they going to all fall over?  Temptation grew to pull them all out.  And then all at once they bust into huge numbers of lovely cheerful flowers.  Butterflies and bees are just loving them.  They even look great as cut flowers.  

Yes!!!  holding was the best choice for sure.

    Aji dulce peppers –no peppers for months.  All they were doing was taking up space and causing thoughts of “what on earth went wrong?”  They were biding their time. Summer just didn’t suit.  Just a small improvement in the weather–and blooms followed by lots and lots of little peppers.  It was a temptation to give up–but it would have been a shame.

Marigolds–they also seemed to find the past few months not to their liking–the remaining tomatoes are happy maybe because the marigolds are happy.

Turk’s cap–honestly it seemed to be asking to be cut to the ground–very few blooms and yet requiring constant pruning to keep it withing reasonable bounds–but–again a reward for avoiding extreme measures–countless flowers–and happy creatures.

     Of course the facts are–that all doesn’t go as hoped.

The most obvious are annuals that have tried really hard but have now reached the end of the line.  It is hard to do this when they aren’t quite done but face it–sad straggliy plants just distract from everything around them.  Let them go its ok.

Same with vegetable plants.  These plants work hard some can make it on into fall.  But some just can’t.  It is really best to get rid of them they can attract pests and diseases that are just doing what they do to eliminate the weak–but best to beat them to it.

The really hard part of the fold ’em is facing that some of your efforts really were in vain.  For some reason plants die.  Sure try  to figure out why.  Was it lack of water–a common issue.  Maybe over crowding?  But sometimes its unknown.  Pull them out anyway no use spending resources–including your time and energy on plants that just are not making it.

Those first two are pretty clear–but what about KNOW WHEN TO WALK AWAY?

 Actually its an important one.  This is the time of the year when plants have pretty well done what they are going to do.  It can be so valuable to step back and away and look at the big picture.  Could you do anything different ?  Is it just that much too much?  Or not quite enough?  Walk away and take a good look and make some mental notes for next year.

Can’t forget YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN TO RUN.  No it won’t be a big problem don’t worry.  But do keep in mind that wasps and yellow jackets are very active at this time of the year.  Of course they are part of nature and normally not an issue–but  do look around they like to build nests in protected places–who doesn’t of course–but sadly when its right above the back door for example you may have to do what you would rather not.  But be careful at times their temper can be kindly said to be “Uncertain” And i hope you don’t have to run–but—-.

YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN TO HOLD EM

YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN TO FOLD EM

YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN TO WALK AWAAY

YOU GOT TO KNOW WHEN TO RUN.

Susan Thronbury, Dallas County Master Gardener Class of 2008