Watermelon Woes

My sister called from a Tampa suburb this week, crying over the loss of two watermelon plants. Ever under the watchful eyes of her community's HOA "police," she discreetly planted two watermelon seeds in her flower bed. "I know I shouldn't be crying about this," she told me, "but they were in blossom and I was really looking forward to having watermelons."

While it is true that our husbands tell us our day is not complete unless we've had a good cry, I don't believe my sister would generally cry over a watermelon plant that had a run-in with a lawn mower. I thought for a few days about what might be behind her grief.

I pictured my sister planting the seeds with her five year old daughter. A few days later, I imagined my little niece running in to tell her Mom the seeds had sprouted. For the next few weeks, they watched in amazement as, amidst the neatly maintained Boxwoods and Knock Out Roses, a watermelon planted snaked out into the grass, lifting it's leaves to the sun. When the large yellow blossoms appeared, I know my niece was tempted to pick them. But my sister must have explained the purpose of the blossoms and why they needed to stay attached to the plant. My sister waited with her daughter in anticipation of what was to come next: from a stem just a quarter inch in diameter, a 5+ pound watermelon. (Watching a watermelon plant grow is rather like watching a skinny pregnant person's belly grow in her 9th month. You just can't figure out how it could be possible.) Though my sister has seen watermelons growing on the vine before, I bet her sense of wonder from the sight has never changed. This time would be even better because her daughter would watch in amazement right beside her.

Sadly, her expectations were dashed by the lawn boy.

Gardeners never stop feeling that sense of accomplishment when the harvest a vegetable. The harvest is like a statement: I was enough. I was nurturing enough, consistent enough, vigilant enough.

Who wouldn't grieve the loss of their watermelon plant?


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