Woman Excitedly Harvests Veg She Planted Months Ago, Doesn’t Go as Planned

Gone are the days of when gardening was associated only with older folk, as plenty of millennials and Generation Zers are reaping the rewards of growing and harvesting their own produce, or so they hope.

One of those green-fingered Gen Zers is Shannon Rogers, 26, who decided to start growing her own vegetables back in February. She told Newsweek that she wanted an outdoor hobby, and she thought it would be remarkably satisfying to eat fresh produce grown in her backyard.

In early spring, Rogers, from Portsmouth, United Kingdom, planted some carrots outside, and she hoped that, after months of tending to them, they would be ready to harvest by summer. “I planted them at the end of February on a nice spring day, and I did everything it said on the packet,” Rogers added.

“I planted them all and put fresh soil in my patch and followed the instructions precisely,” Rogers said. “I was hopeful because I checked them every day and watered them when needed. I thought it couldn’t go wrong because I’d followed everything it said on the packet of seeds.”

Rogers thought that day had finally come on May 28, when she saw a bunch of leaves poking out of the dirt. It was time for the moment of truth as she plucked them out, hoping to see some large orange carrots before her eyes.

That was the dream outcome, but sadly it wasn’t the reality.

“When I saw green leaves, I was so excited and I wanted to harvest it straight away, but I know you have to wait. But when I noticed that the leaves hadn’t grown any more in a week, I thought it was time to pick them,” Rogers continued.

“I pulled them out and I saw it was just weeds, so my heart broke. I checked them every day, and thought what’s happened to my carrots? I thought maybe the carrot fell off and it was in the soil still, but I looked and there was nothing.”

Sadly, all Rogers has for her months of hard work is a bunch of weeds so far. She said that she could have cried when she realized there weren’t any carrots in her hands, but she isn’t giving up on her new hobby.

For many people, the satisfaction of growing their own food is what keeps them out in the garden through all weathers, but there are also numerous health benefits, too. The Mayo Clinic says that a busy day of digging, raking, and mowing the lawn can burn just as many calories as a gym session. These activities can also improve balance, strength, and flexibility.

Spending all that time outside can also boost mental health, as the Mayo Clinic adds that people often breathe more deeply when outside. This can clear the lungs, improve digestion, increase oxygen levels in the blood, and improve the body’s immune response.

In turn, spending time in the garden has been shown to lighten one’s mood and reduce stress levels. Not to mention, all those fresh vegetables that you eventually get to harvest will also improve your diet, too.

How Did Social Media React?

When Rogers thought her carrots were ready, she started to record on her phone because she wanted to capture the moment she finally harvested her vegetables. The video shows her sheer dismay upon realizing that what she plucked was not in fact a carrot but just a weed instead.

Despite her misfortune, Rogers shared the humorous clip on TikTok (@shan_rogers) on May 28, and it has left social media users in stitches. The clip has already gained over 53,900 views and more than 1,200 likes on TikTok so far.

Rogers continued: “The reaction to my video was brilliant. I thought I would upload me harvesting my veggies, and I thought my reaction would be amazing to share. But it was a different reaction when I saw it was just weeds.”

At present, Rogers is yet to harvest anything, but she remains hopeful that it will eventually happen. TikTok users can be certain that, when the day finally comes, she is going to share her delighted reaction.

“Unfortunately, no carrots or vegetables have grown. It was a sad day because I waited months to harvest them, thinking I would have some vegetables, but sadly it was nothing. I’m not giving up and I’m going to try again because I want carrots on my plate that I grew myself,” Rogers added.

With over 130 comments on her viral video, many fellow gardeners offered Rogers their words of advice, while others shared their own mishaps to show that she isn’t alone.

One comment reads: “Those are not carrot leaves! Carrot leaves are very fine soft!”

Another TikTok user wrote: “The soil is too dense for carrots. Mix half sand half soil in a deep tub and put the seed in a fingertip depth hole and cover.”

“I planted flowers one year except they weren’t flowers they were potatoes,” responded a third social-media user.

Another comment read: “Omg [Oh my god] I love you. I watered my carrots for months. They were all nettles.”

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