On this last day of February, our thoughts turn to gardening, as they always do.
We sense it is coming. We can see it in the tiny green sprouts, imagine it in the breeze, hear it as the last of the snow melts on the roof and trickles down the downspouts.
It is Spring.
But just pointing out these little signs of the slowly arriving Spring may not be enough to soothe the winter weary gardener.
May I suggest:
– Shake a packet of pea seeds within ear shot of the gardener. That gentle rattling sound should remind them of a baby’s rattle or the beginnings of happy song that starts out slowly and picks up momentum as it continues, just like Spring. The rattling of the seeds distracts, excites, and reminds the gardener that “as soon as the soil can be worked”, they can be planting those peas.
– Repeat the phrase “as soon as the soil can be worked”, “as soon as the soil can be worked”, over and over.
– Give the gardener a copy of the book “Seeds: The Definitive Guide to Growing, History, and Lore” by Peter Loewer (Timber Press, $17.95) to read and study to learn more about seeds.
– Take the gardener to a garden show. The Indiana Flower and Patio Show starts March 13th! The new Indiana Home and Flower show is this coming weekend, March 5 – 7.
– Buy the gardener a new hoe. For no reason, just because she survived another winter.
That’s how you should soothe the winter weary gardener.
(Do not under any circumstances shout “Look, there’s a crocus!” if there is no crocus blooming, unless you have a packet of seeds to shake to calm the gardener down again.)
(Don’t forget to leave a comment on the giveaway post to enter to win six packets of seeds from Nature’s Crossroads and a Cobrahead hand weeder/cultivator. Deadline is Sunday, February 28th at 9:00 pm EST.)
This gardener is winter weary for sure.I have yet to start any seeds! I need to rectify that this week!
I love your suggestions. Baby rattle, earth rattle, the shake of lovely pea seeds. Uhmmmm.~~Dee
I can imagine the sound of the seeds rattling – it makes my fingers itch to start planting. Great post, Carol.
You are a tease. Like that perfect spring day when I boldly plant flats of precious seedlings and the blizzard that slams my early garden the next day. I think you work for the nurseries, because your flirtations will force me to buy everything twice.
I DID just buy pea seeds today. I will be shaking them by my ear on a regular basis!
My thoughts are definitely turning to gardening as this month comes to an end. I have a whole shoebox full of seeds ready to plant…I think I'll go shake them a little just to make me feel better:)
I feel guilty for having had such a lovely day in the garden today, planting daylily bulbs, weeding and transplanting. The sun was even shining too. Days like today make me really glad I live in Texas. July and August, not so much.
Oh dear, you sound a bit tired of winter! Hope it's over soon for you. We're also about to enter peak gardening season over here.
I can't wait till spring! I love your photo of the seed packets in the basket. I attended a seed swap today so this article you wrote caught my eye.
Happy ALMOST spring!