Deeply Rooted

We all wait for summer on the edges of our seats, pleading for the -30’s to leaves us alone in our balmy, blissful summers. But when it actually gets hot and sticky we wonder what we were waiting for. This is never truer than when the garden is full of weeds. Gardening is one of those areas where our lack of character shows up particularly in areas of consistency and diligence. If the weeds get away on you…you’re hooped! There are very few things as demoralizing as hours of weeding in the heat. So my suggestion for all you, covid gardeners, would be keep ahead of the game! It’s easy to be gone for a weekend, wait for the garden to dry, think. “Not today,” etcetera, etcetera. The problem is the weeds keep growing when it’s hot and wet. If you can weed before the place looks like a grassy jungle it’s always a bonus. I’ve done the hours of weeding in the heat because I was behind, I’d much rather have spent that time in the pool.

So recommendation one is don’t fall behind, it can lead to overwhelm and problem avoidance. Secondly it’s always much easier to weed early in the morning for two reasons. One you’ve had your coffee and you’re good to go, secondly and more importantly it’s not blazing hot yet. Yes there are mosquitoes but that’s why God made Mosquito spray! Given the options I would wear long sleeves and some spray and get out of there before it’s 34 degrees and sticky. I find evenings stay warm longer and in the mornings I tend to have more optimism and energy. Thirdly once you develop the character qualities you need to make this all happen you will also find out your reward is worth it. I have never bought a tomato from the store that tasted as good as the ones in my own garden. So for those who can’t see the difference between your garden plants and the weeds, this is the sign you have been waiting for. Get cracking!

One more and final point. Weed in a group! It goes way faster and is more fun when done in groups. Then when you finish, go inside and enjoy some watermelon together. Hope your Gardens turn out well! Enjoy the adventure and the learning curve. No one becomes an expert without experience. And experts are people who made mistakes and learn from them.