Rainy Days
It’s Sunday morning and I can feel the cooler temps and smell the rain moving in. Those who know say we’re set to be in a particular pattern, the Omega, for several days; cloudy skies, frequent rain showers. And all the predicted gloominess for some of us is a downer.
Not so for the gardener. The rain brings a respite for the grower and the growing. God will water the seedlings, and the clouds will give cover to the transplants, just trying to establish good strong roots. What’s more, the rain has nitrogen, powering the plants to grow. When the skies clear, we will see the leap in the plants and be grateful.
I used a method called huegle culture in the raised beds, a German technique where logs, sticks and cardboard line the bottom layer, topped by 12 inches or more of soil. The wood acts as a sponge, slowly releasing water on drier days, encouraging the roots to go deep. And, over time, it all breaks down into humus, that rich earthy stuff the plants long for. What the gardener longs for….
At this point, the potatoes are growing up and out of the soil, fava beans are about to bloom, lettuce is ready for some pilfering of the outer leaves. There are pea blossoms, so the pods are close by. And I even put in corn, 2-3 tall, so anxious am I for their fresh sweetness. There are yellow beets and red, onions in five forms, spinach, carrots and cucs. There are broccoli plants and mustard and pok choy, along with pole beans and kale. And the fruits! Goose, blue, straw, rasp and blackberries, peaches and plums. It's all joy to behold and a measure of comfort in these unstable times. In the past, we all did this, including herbs, medicine and dyes; each family tending to the necessities and reaping the reward.
It sounds like a lot, I know. But it’s not too much. And, just as I need a break and a breath to tend to other aspects of my life, some weird weather pattern emerges. “I got this,” it seems to say. “Go rest and let me surprise you.” Hmmmm….sounds good. - By Jenny Folk
