Back in the spring, Hubby was going to plant some tomatoes and cucumbers. He has a green thumb and just a few plants can yield tons of produce. I have never been a gardener except to ask Hubby to plant me some potatoes. He does the planting, then weeding, the watering, the tending. But this year, I wanted to try my hand at it. I wanted something that I could baby and tend to and grow. So on May 2, 2012, I planted one single solitary watermelon plant and named him Walter.
Walter has been spoiled and pampered all summer. On those long, dry days with no rain, I diligently stood late in the evening right as the sun was setting and let a steady drizzle from the water hose give Walter his daily dose of moisture, saturating the ground to insure his health and well being. Walter started to grow. When the torrential rains came and threatened to drown my poor little fellow, I went out and aerated the soil around the root to allow for a better drainage so he didn't wash out of the ground. My efforts were rewarded on July 1st, when I went out to check on Walter and spotted my first little watermelon. I was so proud.
By July 15th, Walter had thrived and multiplied. The vines took on a mind of their own and ventured out of their little bed and and started weaving into the grass, making it hard to weed eat. One particular day before I went out and weeded the grass around Walter's home, I felt like we were living in a jungle of vines and foliage.
But I diligently continued to cultivate and care for my one solitary little watermelon plant. Yesterday, my efforts were rewarded when Hubby thumped good old Walter's fruit and announced the first three were ripe and ready to pick. So I did the honors and now we have three beautiful melons weighing in at 10 pounds, 13 pounds and 14 pounds. I couldn't be a prouder mama.