April 2019
Spring: What is it about?
Typically it is about the weather that moves from the cold of winter into the green and mild temperatures of spring. Someone mentioned to me about a different spring, that they hope to spring back. Just as I was contemplating the word a wire spring from something just appeared on the floor that looks like it either came from a small device or a writing pen. So I would say, spring is coming back from a dormant state.
Real world
We live in a hurry up world, perhaps more direct is the term instant gratification. When I garden in the winter here in Florida it is a slower growing rate than it is in the Spring. The blessing of winter gardening is that you can count on the weeds to be dormant or few in number and easy to keep out of the crops that are growing. Fewer bugs eat the tasty plants and fruit, and it is not so horribly hot. Yet to rush a plant to produce, though it is possible, it has its limits. Rushing means there is something neglected, sacrificed, or just might suffer a side effect eventually.
Timing
Planting my seeds in Florida where the ground does not suffer a long, hard freeze is a breeze. Yet if I get too eager and put out seeds that don't tolerate any kind of cold or coolness the seed will most likely suffer or not survive. I have made plenty of mistakes as I learn to garden. I love to learn by experience, or test the boundaries, or just experiment as I ask, "what would happen if?" and then try it out. Planting my peas in the ground one year in late January worked well, yet the next year it just was bad timing and nothing survived due to an unexpected heat wave, peas really prefer the cooler climate.
This winter I didn't care to plant much, a few things. Some tiny-cherry tomatoes fell to the ground in late fall, they were ignored as the mother plant died which was pulled up and tossed away. One warm day in December I went out to check on the cool weather seeds like cabbage, beets and carrots which were sown and a surprise greeted me! Over 3 dozen 1 inch to 2 inch tiny-cherry tomato plants had sprouted up in the rocks, in the sandy dirt, in the growing boxes. Figuring the cold would kill them I left them alone except for 5 of the bigger plants and positioned them in the growing box. Their timing and numbers of plants sprouting were 3 dozen more by the time February came. They defied the weather which for a week was very cold and some freezes occurred. They dared even at 3 inches tall to bear fruit! I let them! I harvested these little plant's fruit, then one by one my neglecting to nurture them with fertilizer they died. I had already given away plants, fruit, replanted 6 more of the heartier plants, I didn't need more to care for so I let nature takes its course. I felt bad for the ones that didn't get to live longer, but I recognized my limits.
Lesson
The newness of the season is invigorating as we view the world renewing it's glory. The fact that seeds can grow and produce without more than a place to rest and water reminds me of the human spirit that is resilient and often times persistent in a hostile environment. We don't choose circumstances yet we meet the challenge and move forward. Timing for each of us is different. Allowing time to recharge to meet the challenges that do and will face us will set our roots more deeply awaiting the storms that come.
