Friday, March 25, 2022

Spring Planting Time by Nancy Gideon



Spring is traditionally a time of new growth – time to rake off all the old, dried up and smothering remains of the past to allow for new sprouts to push through. Before the new can bloom, the old needs to be dealt with . . . kindly, carefully but firmly. Time to address, refresh and repot that To Do List.

Time to throw open your creative windows to let fresh inspiration in!

Breathe deep and let it out sloooooow. Then take a good, hard look at how your creative garden grows?

Is it choked with weeds of discontent and unkept schedules? Is it running wild without containment, yielding small unhealthy blooms instead of those rich and well-fertilized by planning, time, and care? Has it outgrown the space where it’s planted but you’re afraid to move it for fear of damaging its root system? Does it have enough light to nourish new buds and strong stems? WIPs, ideas and goals need structure and planning to yield the strongest, healthiest result. They need your attention and TLC.

Every year I run to the greenhouse and load up a flatbed with buds and blooms, eager to stick them in the soil and watch them grow. And each year, I’m disappointed by the result. Less than half of what’s planted survives and what does is straggly or anemic. So last year, I did my homework by organizing my containers (my garden is limited to the patio) and predetermining what to put in them according to size, spread and color. OCD much?


 
I spend a day grouping the plants by their pots then the next, get down and dirty. The result – all were planted according to the plan, none were wasted, and every inch of space was used. And when they bloomed, it was spectacular. Each morning, I sat on my glider to relax in my oasis, inhaling the fragrance, color and beauty while enjoying my coffee. I also planted herbs so I could take fresh snips for meals (note to self: parsley is an overachiever!). The other thing I did was take pictures of each arrangement and keep the plant identifiers so I can reproduce (or change) the grouping for this spring.


Before you start this year’s planting, revisit what you wanted to accomplish in 2021. Where do those dreams, actions, and desires stand? Do they still have relevance? Do they still represent your needs and where you want to be? Do they have room to grow in healthy soil or have they become root-bound and stunted?

Is the project growing or has it gone limp? Can you take cuttings to seed a series? Do you have the proper soil and water to grow an expanding readership? Have you grouped and tended those successful starts along with taking some new chances to plant for this year’s bounty? Inventorying your successes and failures gives you a strong foundation. Listing your components and prioritizing your efforts keeps you focused on what produces the best result.

In 2022, how does your garden grow?
♚♚♚♚♚
Nancy Gideon on the Web



4 comments:

Diane Burton said...

What a great post, Nancy. Comparing gardening with writing is fantastic. Both my outdoor garden and my writing suffered a lot last year (and the year before). Sometimes you can fix it yourself. Other times, you need an expert. Since I don't have the time or energy or physical strength to dig up my garden and replace plants, etc., I will have to hire a landscaper to help. With my writing, I need to take time and be patient to bring it back to life. Or I may need to hire an expert (editor) to help straiten out the mess I have. Patio gardening sounds great. I love your photos.

Jessica E. Subject said...

I agree! A great post! I definitely am doing well on my goals for this year, and have some things that I need to finish by the end of this month.

As for gardening, I started some seedlings inside for the first time in many years. Up here, we need to worry about frost until mid-May, so I've got a bit of time to get these tiny sprouts into healthy plants that are ready for the garden.

Nancy Gideon said...

There's such excitement (and, yes, work!) in preparing for new blooms. But the process and then the yield is SO satisfying.

Lori L. MacLaughlin said...

Love this post! The last couple of years have not been good writing-wise, not because of disorganization, but because of work and family needs and the messiness of life in general. I keep hoping that I will find a way to organize everything and carve out some writing time. I'm diving back into blogging after a long hiatus to try to get my mindset back in to author mode. We'll see where it goes.

I need to get my flower garden cleaned up and ready for spring, too. Can't wait to see the greens start poking up through the ground. Spring is my favorite time of year.