What Character: Anatoli

Anatoli is my garden neighbor to the north. He is from Ukraine, like many of my neighbors.  

I had to get a picture of him watering his plants. Notice his watering can has a vodka bottle attached to the nozzle. We joke he will have fat, red, drunk tomatoes.

Garrison Keillor used to hint about secrets for gigantic, envious tomatoes in his summer stories. Vodka isn't Anatoli's secret for fantastic plants - I checked.

Just before garden season, Anatoli had a complete knee replacement. Ever since, he's been walking with a cane or a walker. Gardening has been a real challenge for him, especially setting up is plot and getting the seeds and plants in the ground. He wants to have as much in his garden this year that he had last year. Some days are pretty bad. Since he's not as mobile, he wanted to make his watering can longer instead of reaching for the plants and possibly loosing balance.
Ta Da! The vodka bottle is attached to the watering can with plumbers tape to keep it from leaking and holes in the bottom.

Watering systems vary in our community. We all share one 50 foot long hose. The hose isn't long enough to get to all of the garden plots, so watering needs to be creative. There are hose people, watering can people, and hybrid folk. 

Anatoli is a watering can person. He has a large covered garbage can at the west side of his garden that he fills when the hose is free. Since it sits in the sun all day, the water gets warm. Plants like warm water.

Katya is a hose person. Her plot is closest to the spigot, so she can use the hose for the full length of her plot on its own. Most hose people use some kind of sprayer on the hose to get the coverage and distance for their plots.

I am a hybrid user. I have a water container buried in my garden. It holds about 20 gallons. When I can use the hose, I use a sprayer to water my plot, but when I don't want to wait, I use my storage water and refill when no one else needs the hose.

You've got to think "community" when you have a community garden plot.