Tend Your Garden: Post #8

Thistle
Photo By: Chandra Brown

"As is the garden, such is the gardener. A man's nature runs either to herbs or weeds." -Francis Bacon

I made a goal for my winter garden, eliminate a five gallon bucket full of weeds a day until the over growth was under control. I started in the East corner of the yard and worked slowly, inch by inch, towards the West corner.  By day three the weed problem was under control. The work wasn't tedious by any means, the soil was soft so the roots came out with ease as I dug deep in the soil. The sun shining on my face was welcomed as I methodically performed the task at hand with a mind set of constancy.  This pace lead to a quiet, pleasant state of solitude.

I found myself thinking about how much growth took place during a season when plants usually rest. The warmth and moisture we've experienced in these winter months have tricked plants into early propagation.  Winter's cruelty was soon felt; frost came not too long after the deceptive incubating environment. Weeds seemed impervious to this blight but more delicate plants like my hyacinth would die at frosts' first snap.

It was almost as if the weeds growing in healthy abundance were taunting the more delicate, seasonal plants to reveal themselves too early as an iniquitous jest, knowing all too well their final fate. I looked closely at the weeds in my bucket, they were large, green and plump; they stayed that way days after I pulled them. The hyacinth, still in the safe haven of the ground, were wilted with deaths' black mark on the edges of the flower petals.

A fleeting sadness was lifted as I studied the make up of the hyacinth. It may have suffered a few battle wounds but deep down, nestled snugly in the soil was its hidden glory. The energy reserves held in the bulb would come back to fight another day by sending another flower in the proper time.

It is true, "as is the garden, such is the gardener." I've had a recent bout with tending to those nasty, unwanted weeds that want to take root and sneer at you. A deceptive environment was letting them grow quickly, but thank goodness, I have a Master Gardner in my corner. He warned me to what was happening and told me what was required before the ground was lay waste.

Sure, a few petals have been frayed, wounds have left their mark but deep down and because of God's faithfulness, I know His plans will triumph.

Psalms 130: 3,4
Ephesians 4:32

Emerging Hyacinth
Photo By: Chandra Brown

Tend Your Garden - Winter Gardening Post #7

Planning Our Winter Garden
Photo by: Chandra Brown

A winter garden, those two words almost sounds like an oxymoron especially when you grew up in Colorado, attempting a winter garden wasn't even a thought. You let the snow blow and just waited for the first signs of life in Spring. Living in a warm climate like Texas has opened up a whole new world of gardening possibilities for me and lends meaning to terms such as winter gardening.

For some odd reason a winter garden makes me think of setting down roots. Maybe this correlation is due to the fact our family transplanted from Colorado ten years ago to a new environment. I think of how our family cultivated a new life on our own away from anything we knew. We were like individual plants transferred from cool hardy zone 6 to a warm hardy zone 8. Adaptability was key to survival and thriving in this new environment.

Laying Out The Greens

Just A Spritz of Water

I must admit, my husband and daughter have transplanted better than I have. I like to say I have far extending roots that stem from Austin to Denver. This winter garden concept has made me realize the unique aspects of the place I live in and if I take the time to dig in and learn about them my Austin roots may just grow a little stronger and help solidify me in the present state of being.

So in honor of our family roots and our new found enthusiasm for winter gardens, Alex and I took advantage of a rare 81 degree day (ha, not very cold) and planted our first winter garden. We learned leafy greens although delicate and soft to the touch are perfect for cool weather. They have a tendency to uptake more nutrients during the cooler months which cause them to flourish in the taste category. They can also yield quit a bit of produce even after the first harvest.

This information caused much delight, our family goes through large plastic tubs of spinach and kale. If I can successfully grow my own this will help cut back our quota of plastic in the recycle bin, add dollars saved at the check out line and last but not least, I can revel in the convenience of fresh, organic pickings literally a hop, step or jump away.

Winter Garden Produce

• Winterbor Kale
• Romaine Lettuce
• Bonnie Spinach
• Carrots
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Beets
• Onions
• Leeks
• Legumes

"Nature has undoubtedly mastered the art of winter gardening and even the most experienced gardener can learn from the unrestrained beauty around them." -Vincent A. Simeone

UPDATE: A couple of weeks have passed, and some darn bug has eaten all my spinach. Good in that the bugs want it because it's organic. Bad, because I can't tell what kind of bug it is to treat the area. There are a lot of different bugs that LOVE spinach. I've got my homework cut out for me.