Langreck: Basil, oregano and peppers, oh my!

This year is a big one for me and my family when it comes to 4-H and county fair season. Not only do I have two kids in 4-H this year, I also have three kids in Mini 4-H.

Luckily during spring break, I was able to get the three kids, who aren’t in third grade yet, to sit long enough to not only complete their Mini 4-H projects, but also their record sheets.

Until it’s judging week and I have to help the youngsters turn in their projects, I can focus on helping my son, Graham, and my daughter, Addy, who is now in her first year of 4-H.

Graham, who is entering his third year of 4-H, is starting to pick up on how things are done, and although he still needs my help with getting the correct dimensions for the board his Lego project is displayed on, for the most part he knows what he has to do before judging week and his sheep go to the fair.

I am still helping Addy learn all about how 4-H is different than Mini 4-H and the importance of taking pride in the work she does on her projects.

However, we have been having some trouble with her gardening project. Although we are learning a lot and having fun, we can’t seem to have any luck with growing herbs, especially basil.

Her first basil plant died from too much water, which led to mold issues. And then out of an abundance of caution and worry about giving her second basil plant too much water, it died after not getting enough water.

She is having slightly better luck with her oregano plant, but we are going to have to transplant it again to a bigger pot. Fingers crossed it will be OK and adapt to its new element.

However, minus a little frost damage on a few leaves, her pepper plants are doing well so far and a few of them have even started to flower.

It makes me proud to watch her care for her plants and I feel for her when she is sad when one of them doesn’t look right.

I know over the years, though, that she will learn to have success in her gardening from what she learns during her time in 4-H.