A Most Noble Sacrifice, Not A Voluntary One Though

After much self-debates, I finally had the pumpkin plant removed yesterday. There was no more reason I could give myself to retain it any longer. My hand-pollination done on one of its flowers has not worked. The need to do something for the nutrient, space and sun-deprived sweet potato and especially, turmeric plants ( that were growing on the same planter at my front yard ) was becoming more and more apparently urgent. 

A choice or decision has to be made fast. Either a plant or some plants must play ' Hero ' or ' Heroes ' ( be sacrificed to make way for, thus save all other plants ). ' Proudly ', it was decided that it ought to be the strong, long-time, space-dominating pumpkin plant. To be the first ever, ' appointed ' ( not a voluntary one ), most noble Plants Hero of my front yard planter.

The pumpkin plant before the removal. The sweet potato and turmeric plants were hidden somewhere underneath it.

It took me a long two hours or so to have its itch-inducing hairy vine and leaves removed completely. It had been tough for me. As my skin was very sensitive to its hairs. Though I had a pair of gloves on, I still got some red, itchy bumps on my hands; which slowed me down. As I couldn't let the itch passed without some scratching every now and then. Luckily it never lasts. 

The heap of the drying pumpkin plant after the removal

While having the pumpkin plant removed, I accidentally unearthed a sweet potato vine that had a small edible tuber at the end of its root. A white one that looked more like a radish to me. Though it was nothing rare to get a tuber, it wasn't something which I had expected. As I had planted them merely for their tasty leaves. Nevertheless, it was quite a pleasant surprise for me. I had it boiled and eaten later in the evening yesterday. Its texture was great though its sweetness was rather inferior.

The accidentally unearthed sweet potato tuber.

My fourth sister suggested that I should just cut its vine at various points and leave them on the planter to rot and act as my soil mulch. But since I wanted to spread coffee grounds around the nutrient deficient sweet potato and turmeric plants soonest possible, I couldn't follow. Allowing them to dry out and wither away on the planter would take some time however little. I was worried that the somewhat stunted turmeric plants couldn't wait any longer. I had to save them as soon as I could.

Hence, after the removal, I immediately fertilized each and everyone of them with lots of coffee grounds. I also gave them all, a good thorough bath and drink. For the sun was already up and it was getting really hot when I finished. Finally, when all were done, I was able to breathe a sigh of relief. For I knew they could, from then on grow happily with ample nutrients, space and sun exposure.

 

One of the all-rounded fertilized turmeric plants.

Finally, there are new new hopes for the sweet potato and turmeric plants. Picture taken after the bath.

Thanks to the dear Plants Hero - The Pumpkin Plant, for its most noble sacrifice!