Cultivating carrots, it seems, can be challenging to germinate.
Second Son, who cultivates carrots in Grandpa and Grandma’s garden for personal use, hasn’t heard much about the cultivation process. Moreover, he has never personally engaged in cultivation himself (laughs).
Recently, Grandma has been experiencing discomfort in her hip joints. After feeling some relief, she ventured out into the garden within her limits, only to exacerbate the condition.
As a result, Grandpa instructed her, “You don’t have to do anything other than meals and laundry,” leading to her spending more time at home lately.
When Second Son and 2-1 visited on a Sunday, despite being unable to move much, Grandma seemed restless, prompting them to lend a helping hand.
On a day in late September, Grandma approached Second Son, who was considering preparing dinner soon.
“I’m going to pick carrots from the garden,” she declared.
Second Son, taking Grandma, who claimed she could go alone, hopped onto the mini-truck, heading to Grandpa and Grandma’s garden. Upon arrival, Grandpa was tending to broccoli, and beyond that were the desired carrots.
The carrots, nearing the end of the harvest season, were planted alongside weeds for personal use at home. As Grandma pulled out several small carrots, she remarked, “I tried making vegetable sticks, but regular carrots are still better,” engaging in conversation with Second Son.
Second Son, initially thinking they were only small carrots, understood the reasoning. However, he secretly refrained from saying, “You guys haven’t eaten raw carrots before!”
After finishing the harvest and walking towards the mini-truck, Grandma seemed to be walking in a different direction, muttering something. In the vulnerable garden where tripping is already a concern, Second Son approached to find her saying, “Oh, good. They’ve sprouted.”
Looking down, he saw newly sprouted shoots of what appeared to be the next batch of carrots. It seemed Grandma had been curious about whether the carrots she planted when her feet were in better condition had germinated.
Even carrots, thought to have favorable conditions, sometimes struggle to sprout. This difficulty in germination is a common challenge not only in home gardens but also among farmers.
Although Grandma had said she was “going to pick carrots,” Second Son realized she might have been more interested in checking on these sprouts than in harvesting.
