For the past several months, I have been having the yearly discussion with myself about whether I should just let the weeds take over my garden, plant grass seed and just mow it this year, or till the 3,500 square feet and plant vegetables again this year.

And, like every other year, I finally decided to put the seeds I ordered in the ground and see what happens.

A short time ago, our church had its annual rummage and plant sale.

I went early on a Friday because the plants always sell quickly.

I bought about 10 tomato plants (assorted varieties), some pepper plants, and some flowers that Susie likes to grow.

While I was looking, I saw several pumpkin plants sitting on the floor.

I checked the tag (without my glasses) and thought it said $1. They were about eight or 10 inches tall, so I thought that was a good price. Usually I plant my pumpkins from seeds, but I thought I would try plants this year and save some trouble.

I took my tomatoes, peppers, and flowers to the truck, loaded up some other items I bought at the rummage, and went home.

I forgot the pumpkins.

The next day, a friend of ours was going to the sale so I asked her if she would pick up any pumpkin plants that were left.

She stopped by our house late and dropped off the 22 pumpkin plants she had purchased.

The sticker price on each was $2.

I should have put on my glasses. Apparently, there was a bunch of plants under the table that I didn’t see on my visit.

The garden was dry that day so I rototilled the south end of my garden where I always grow the pumpkins and gourds.

Susie and I put all the new plants in the ground.

This was a bit earlier than I usually plant these, but I wanted to put them in before they died in the pots.

The lady who grows the plants for the church sale every year called while we were in the garden.

She told me she had another dozen or so pumpkin plants at home. She said she was just going to throw them out if I didn’t want them. She said I could have them for free.

“Free” is one of my favorite words, so I said yes.

She then told me she was coming to our end of town and she would just drop them at our house.

When she arrived, I carried the new plants out to the garden and we planted them. Now, I had about 35 pumpkin plants.

While we were busy, I made three rows, 35 feet long each, and put the ornamental corn seeds I had bought in the ground.

Between these corn rows, I threw all the dried gourds I had left from last year’s fall decorations.

I then ran my rototiller down between these rows. It chopped up the dried gourds and spread all the seeds along the ground.

It also covers them at the same time.

At the other end of the garden, which I had already tilled, I planted the tomatoes. I placed cages around them. I had purchased these cages years ago from the Pendleton Garden Club at one of their downtown sales. I probably still have 15 or 20 of these left.

This all happened about two weeks ago.

The pumpkin plants are still alive, the three rows of corn are about two inches tall, and I have a bunch of small gourd plants breaking the ground between the corn rows. Later, the gourds will climb up the corn stalks.

Now, we have had a bunch of rain. My garden has been muddy. I think maybe tomorrow morning it will be dry enough to put out some rows of peas, green beans, Lima beans, and several hills of zucchini. I make my rows wide enough so I can run the rototiller between them to knock down the weeds. Finally, the time will come to pick all the produce off the plants.

I don’t know how I will do this since I can’t bend over any more and stand back up. This is when I trade labor for desserts with some of our friends. Maybe I will be able to find some high school kid I can hire to do the hard work.

Perhaps I will just plant grass seed next year.

Rich Creason is an award-winning outdoors and travel writer whose work has appeared in local, regional, national and international publications for 40 years. Born in Anderson, he is a graduate of Markleville High School. He lives in South Madison County with his wife, Susie. He may be contacted at [email protected].