Very sad - I'm going to have to leave my garden behind

I've been renting a house for about two and a half years and really love it. It's got just enough of a yard for the dog and for my small garden, and the house, though not really updated, is in good shape and only about 10 minutes from work. A few months ago, the landlord died and his wife and daughter weren't sure if they wanted to sell the place or keep it. They asked me if I wanted to buy, but frankly, being single I can't really afford a house in NJ and besides, I don't like my job and want to leave anyway.

Well, yesterday they called and said they were selling the house. So that means I have to move. And probably sooner rather than later because I'm not the kind of person who's going to keep a house neat enough all the time for random showings (plus I've got the dog, which would make showing a house difficult - I'd have to be there every time).

I've got an interview for a job in PA coming up in August, so I've been trying to leave anyway. But I was hoping to stay long enough to at least finish out the summer's crops of tomatoes and peppers. Some of my plants are in pots or movable 1x4 containers that I guess I could try (carefully) to take with me, but I'll lose all my pepper plants, maybe the onions, depending on when they finish growing, and the new cucumber plant. Darn it all, I'm rather depressed about this.

I am so sorry you have to leave it! Maybe the sell of the house will take some time so you can harvest your veggies. Best wishes on your job interview and maybe you can start again in your new place in the spring.

Renee

gregrenee88 wrote:I am so sorry you have to leave it! Maybe the sell of the house will take some time so you can harvest your veggies. Best wishes on your job interview and maybe you can start again in your new place in the spring.

Renee

If I can get the new job, everything should work out. If I don't, then I'll be hesitant to do anything more than container gardening somewhere else because I really do want to leave NJ. I'd hate to go to all the effort of making Mel's mix, etc. just to leave it behind again.

The biggest annoyance in staying at the place I'm at now through the fall while they're trying to sell it would be keeping the house/yard/dog in decent enough shape for open houses, etc. I just don't see how I'll be able to do that, which means that I'm likely going to have to leave before they start showing the house, which in turn means leaving sometime before the garden is done for the year.

Put your pepper plants in containers now, and then when you move you will be able to take them with you. How large is the cucumber plant? Is it producing cukes already? If so, I wouldn't try to transplant it into a container. However, if it's only smallish yet and only starting to bloom, then put it in a large 2-1/2 or 5 gallon container and move it too

That's a bummer, I hope you can move as many with you as possible

Try to save as much MM as you can: bags not too large to handle comfortably, but smaller bags that can be stowed away easily.
Then when you can start away, add your compost and away you go.

All the best in your future, moswell. Keep us posted.

Leaving an established garden is tough. I've had to do it several times because of transfers (before SFG). And last year and this year I have had to abandon my garden due to work, but at least I get to come back to the insfrastructure.

If at all possible, do not move until you have had that job interview. Moving twice is not in your best interests. For the immediate future, do the best you can on keeping the place tidy and find a safe place to confine the dog when the house is being shown and YOU talk with the real estate agent/company that has the listing. Make sure they know and put on the listing that a dog is on the premises. Put in a requirement to notify you before showing. You do have some rights as a tenant. Do not assume the owners will take the time or even care.

Kay

I know we talk about bagging up the MM and taking it with us, but a lot of that depends on whether you can do the moving yourself or have to hire an interstate moving company. Interstate companies charge by the pound. Vermiculite and peat are not so heavy but composts weigh a lot.

walshevak wrote:Leaving an established garden is tough. I've had to do it several times because of transfers (before SFG). And last year and this year I have had to abandon my garden due to work, but at least I get to come back to the insfrastructure.

If at all possible, do not move until you have had that job interview. Moving twice is not in your best interests. For the immediate future, do the best you can on keeping the place tidy and find a safe place to confine the dog when the house is being shown and YOU talk with the real estate agent/company that has the listing. Make sure they know and put on the listing that a dog is on the premises. Put in a requirement to notify you before showing. You do have some rights as a tenant. Do not assume the owners will take the time or even care.

Kay

I know we talk about bagging up the MM and taking it with us, but a lot of that depends on whether you can do the moving yourself or have to hire an interstate moving company. Interstate companies charge by the pound. Vermiculite and peat are not so heavy but composts weigh a lot.

Thanks for the advice Kay! I am very hopeful that the owners will be reasonable and at least wait to start showing until I know about the new job. I'm also hopeful that, if I get the job, I'll be reimbursed for moving expenses (or they'll pay up front). Either way, the move would be no more than 1-2 hours away, so for garden things, if I decided to move them, I could move them myself (a couple people in the family have trucks).

Regarding the earlier post about potting things now: I noticed the first flower on the cuke today - think it's still safe to transplant? And for the peppers - all three plants are laden with peppers ripening, so I'd be afraid to transplant them for fear of killing them. What do folks think about it?

@Moswell
I am in Pa and hope your interview goes well, but it is a shame you have to leave your garden and crops behind.

But you always keep the experience with you were every you end up; I hope thing turn out well for you in the future..keep us posted

Realistically, you are not going to be moving for at least 30-60 days. That is near the end of Aug or the end of Sep. Don't let them bully you out. But as a former landlady, I know that certain repairs may have to be made and that the owners will want to get them done early. Families like to buy and settle before school starts, but I think that time is about gone. Unless they put a fire sale price on the place, it is going to take some time to sell in todays market.

By then you will have had a chance to harvest some of your peppers and cukes. The size of the vining cuke will be very unwieldy even in a bucket by the time you actually move. Can starts still be obtained at the local stores? I would be more inclined to put new pepper and cuke starts in buckets for a transportable early fall garden. Look at first frost dates as well. Is is going to be worthwhile relocating any part of a garden in Sep.

Kay

[quote="moswell[/quote]

Regarding the earlier post about potting things now: I noticed the first flower on the cuke today - think it's still safe to transplant? And for the peppers - all three plants are laden with peppers ripening, so I'd be afraid to transplant them for fear of killing them. What do folks think about it?[/quote]

If your cucumber is still a small, manageable plant, I think you should transplant it.
As far as the peppers are concerned, look at it this way. If you don't pot them up and take them with you, you won't have any at all. If you put them in containers and move them with you, there is a chance that you will have some to eat.
I moved last July. I brought two vans full of containerized plants. Some transplanted without problem, some I lost. It was a gamble but I think it was worth it or I would have had nothing at all.

Again assuming you have a few months....
One thing I did last september with my peppers, (more out of fear of frost), I cut them off at the base of the plant and then set them in vases (well actually 5 gallon buckets) and they ripened gradually over the next 2 months.

So you can leave your peppers until the very last day.
The OTHER thing is that real estate is not moving very well down there and unless they are selling it dirt cheap, chances are it may take a long while to sell.
I feel for you though, I had an incredible garlic crop down in Eugene Oregon, over a hundred healthy looking plants and we made the decision in December to move back to Canada in January (2011) The house did not sell until the following April, and the buyers were back and forth on a lot of things, and so I was going to tell them to just wait until July so we could harvest our garlic... It was my first ever garlic crop and sad to leave, but this year has more than made up for it since I have great garlic this year. We have also left behind many many raspberry plants and asparagus plants....

I recently completed an 800-mile move, which included a planter with two healthy cucumber plants, one tomato transplanted separately, and three potted herbs. Except for the tomato, they loved the journey in the car, thinking it was a greenhouse!

Upon arrival, the herbs were in great shape, the tomato pretty sickly, but the two cucumber plants were raring to go. After a week or two of adjusting to different temps and much more light, they've started to produce.

I'd give it a shot; try transplanting those cukes. Although it's been said that they don't transplant well, my experience differs considerably. In fact, one of the two cucumbers in that planter was started inside in vermiculite, then carefully planted in its present home. Two of the three seeds I started the same way thrived!

Good luck with everything!

Thanks for the moving advice all. I talked with the landlord today. They're in a position where they need to sell asap, so they won't/can't wait until I hear about the new job. They want the place "de-cluttered" - this will be annoying as it will be a significant change in lifestyle for me that I don't really have time to deal with. And I made sure to tell the real estate agent that I need at least 24 hour notice for showings so I can deal with getting the dog out of the house. Realistically, I can't keep him there with people coming in. He's a good dog, but hyper when people first come in the house. He settles down after a couple minutes, but still, they're not going to want a dog around and I don't want to stress him that much. It took me a year (he's a rescue dog) to get him under control and I'd hate to have him regress due to stress after all the work I've done with him.

So, either way, I guess I'll be moving in about a month and a half. They've said that they won't push me out, and they aren't really, but I am unwilling to live in a situation where I've got to deal with constant strangers coming into the house. So, once I know one way or another about the new job, I'll be looking for a new place.

Moswell, I am so sorry you are in a terrible dilema with your veg garden. I agree that with everyone you should be able to transfer your plants to another location especially if they are in pots.
We will miss you in NJ but since you are hoping to go to PA you will still be in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Good luck in your job interview. Keep us posted.

Sorry this is a bit off topic. For declutering you can get started on the packing now. There is nothing wrong with having boxes stacked neatly all in one room, a closet, the garage or some place else. Your landlord legally has to give you 24 hours notice before entering the property. That would include their agents (repair persons, realtor, etc.) If they are concerned about the yard not being kept up, then they can hire a service to come take care of it so you will have the time to pack. The realtor will just have to take into account that you will be packing.

Don't let anyone bully your into allowing them to come on the spur of the moment. We would have a note on our front door that the realtors needed to have an appt. and they would still knock and give the excuse they were in the area. They can call ahead if there is a chance they may show the house the next day. Sometimes also the landlord will pay you a certain amount of money to help you relocate.

Moswell ,

Get the slowcooker on and make up a big pot of strong curry paste keep it on simmer for a couple of months till your harvest is over . Sprinkle loads of moth balls on cupboard tops just before a viewing .. don't let on to the viewers what you have done .. when you get your new job and place to live secrete a few lobster tails on cupboard tops and a few big shrimps in the curtain tops or hems as you move out.

Seriously ..It's a bug bear to have your home taken form under your feet when all the new ownwrs can see is the short term money by selling .. when over the yhears they will make far moremmuch by renting it out and still have an ever increasing asset in place .

Any likelihood of them being sympathetic to your cause if you explain things to them and also asking about shipping out your MM in bags ?

plantoid wrote:Moswell ,

Get the slowcooker on and make up a big pot of strong curry paste keep it on simmer for a couple of months till your harvest is over . Sprinkle loads of moth balls on cupboard tops just before a viewing .. don't let on to the viewers what you have done .. when you get your new job and place to live secrete a few lobster tails on cupboard tops and a few big shrimps in the curtain tops or hems as you move out.

lol, devious.

Seriously ..It's a bug bear to have your home taken form under your feet when all the new ownwrs can see is the short term money by selling .. when over the yhears they will make far moremmuch by renting it out and still have an ever increasing asset in place .

Any likelihood of them being sympathetic to your cause if you explain things to them and also asking about shipping out your MM in bags ?

Unfortunately, the landlord is in a rough position too. Her husband passed away a few months ago, and I think she's now in a position where she might not be able to keep the house she's living in, let alone a second house with much higher property taxes in a different state. I don't really blame her, it just stinks and it's at a really rotten time. I'll make do and gardens can always be re-grown. In the end, I'll get a lot out of this year's garden and I'll attempt some of the things suggested in this thread to save what I can of the late harvest.

I know how you feel. I had to leave 8 beds in December and have not settled properly yet. I can't wait until I land somewhere and can get serious again.

Chopper wrote:I know how you feel. I had to leave 8 beds in December and have not settled properly yet. I can't wait until I land somewhere and can get serious again.

Where exactly would you like to land?

Somewhere in So Cal. Love Encinitas/San Diego County but also like it here in Temecula area - but any house of my own will be appreciated. Regrouping after divorce.

Poor Chopper. I thought you had taken your boxes with you. Are you a virtual gardener this summer?

Moswell, thanks for understanding what your landlord is going through. It's a real pain to be a landlord-at-a-distance. A good tenant like you would be a blessing I'd want to work around.

Ava

Right now I have a plastic bin of potatoes that moved with me. However, my landlady has two neglected raised beds that look about 6X3 and have at least 6 inches of room for some added soil... I haven't approached her about it yet, but I am making my evil plan as we speak...

And remember if she sells there will likely be a 30-60 day escrow. A lot can ripen in that time.

Change is always so hard, whether you choose it or not!

Chopper I hope you can get use of those beds. If I were a landlord I would welcome someone taking care of the beds. I am sure she will let you. Since you live in California you have such an amazing growing season! I grew up in the San Fernando Valley and I sure miss the beaches but not the traffic or the smog.

Moswell it is nice of you to understand your landlady's situation. She probably doesn't want to sell it. It will be stressful for you and a lot of extra work but you don't get to choose. I found in our many moves to try and do most of the packing and work early on because there is always more to do than you think. I would also label the boxes on each end and not on the top. That way when you are looking for a box and you have them stacked on top of each other you can still see what you have written is in the box.