Category: Gardening
May 09
Dandelions, the king of weeds
I was out mowing the lawn tonight for the fourth time this year. I thought I do a pretty good job of keeping the lawn looking nice, but then I noticed them. What were they? The enemies of the lawn. Weeds! Dandelions, creeping charlie, and clover.
Well what the heck! You want the grass, trees, and shrubs to grow and thrive, so you treat them nice, water them, fertilize them, and give them a regular hair cut and trim. Some parts of the lawn do well, some not so much. Some trees and shrubs are doing well, some are dying.
But those weeds. You attack them, pull them out, put weed killer on them, and generally try to choke them out… and they still thrive! So with all the disparaging treatment, why do the weeds seem to multiply? There is more weeds this year than last. Then, in mid-summer and into the fall, I start forgetting about them. The blooms die and they start blending into the lawn. Out of sight, out of mind.
It reminds me of those little issues I am trying to take care of in my life. Being a better husband and father, getting into the Word more, and finishing those open items that continue to gnaw at me. The "biggies" have been dealt with, but those pesky little ones are tough to completely eliminate. Sometimes they pop-up, flower, become apparent to everyone, bloom, and then drop seeds all over the place. Then as time goes by, they just blend in with the rest of my life. Then again, they pop-up again, worse than before.
If I was persistent in taking care of them, they would not become the nuisance that they are. It’s not a once-a-spring chore, it is regular effort throughout the season that gets results. I purpose to become a regular weed puller in all areas of my life on a more consistent basis. Not through guilt, but because I want to exhibit the love that He has shown me.
May 09
Soil Preparation
This last weekend we planted 2/3 of our vegetable garden. The garden is pretty good sized (30 x 50) 1500 sq. ft. There was a lot of preparation before we got to the point of getting seed into the ground. It starts the year before. In the fall, at the end of the season, I till all the remnants of the garden under. I add compost from the yard leaves and till again. Then the garden is officially put to bed for winter.
In the spring, I add more leaves and dead grass from the lawn and till it again. I wait a few weeks and till one final time. At this point, all the soil preparation work has been done and the garden is now ready to accept seed. The success of the crop is dependent on how well the soil is prepared. Now you can prepare less, but if you do, you will have more work along the way. You will pull more weeds, have to water more, and the end result will be that the harvest will be less bountiful.
So, the actual planting part was pretty easy, the soil was loose and damp, the rows were clear, no rocks or debris, and the weather was nice. The seeds sunk easily into the soil with very little effort involved.
My life has been like the garden. There was a time in my life when any good seeds that we thrown into my life might have just as well been thrown onto the pavement. My heart was still hardened. The cement needed to be broken up first. The debris cleared away, the ground tilled, and compost added. Even seed scatted at this point would not have produced a good crop. It was not ready yet.
The process of preparation takes time. The softening and conditioning of my heart happened through love and prayer from many different sources. This was the majority of the work. Not glamorous or attention grabbing.
When the preparation was complete, the ability for the good seed to be planted was ready. It was, and my life was forever changed. The seed produced a good crop of hope and blessing. A bounty of healing and good relationships. Life more abundantly.
I love the comparisons with the yard and garden and the Lord. I can clearly see it. To many times people focus on the fruit and the end result without taking into account the upfront work. The end result is a natural outworking of the work put into it early in the process. Arguing, debating, and trying to convince others of a particular position or point is a waste of time. You are throwing seeds unto pavement. The work you need to do starts early with love and prayer. So, may you realize the powerful jackhammer, softening properties that only love can give.
Apr 09
Backyard Therapy
Now I don’t know about you, but this time of year for me brings renewed hope and excitement as I am finally unlocked from winter’s grip and I am able to get outside. The outdoor season started a little earlier this year because we ventured into syrup making in mid March. This weekend, the weather got into the mid 50′s and the March winds had finally subsided. It was also busy; the Masters was played (a sure sign of Spring), we had commitments on Saturday and Easter was Sunday. Hope and promises were on display all around us in the midst of it all.
Earlier in the week, I picked up seed potatoes for the garden. Now last year, when I got ready to get plant the garden, I waited too long and the seed potatoes were all gone. They sell faster than anything else because they can be put into the ground as soon as the frost is out. Also, the year before, we went on a trip out west and came back to a garden that was lost to the weeds. So, needless to say, I was a little stoked about getting the best of the potatoes, earlier than usual.
I tilled the garden on Friday and I am thinking I can get some cold weather plants in a little early (lettuce, carrots and potatoes). I hacked the raspberry bushes to within a foot of the ground. The trees I trimmed this winter were still on the ground, so I brought those to the composting place. Is everything ready to go? No, but I can feel it. I can see the grass turning from brown to a light green. I can see the buds on the trees plump and full, ready to burst open.
We typically do not take a vacation in the winter so this time of year is especially gratifying. I absolutely love it. In the upcoming weeks we will be moving some shrubs, planting some trees, vegetable garden, and our annual garden, rearranging and expanding our perennial garden, and enjoying every minute of being that much closer to God in the process. We still have a lot of “work” to do, but I cannot wait to get my hands dirty.
With all the changes happening in our lives and the technology world that I live in, this is the best and most satisfying thing that Spring brings. It is theripudic to my soul. This spring, may you also find the time to get your hands dirty and breath in the rich smell of the earth as you plant your own garden.
Mar 09
In the smallest things . . .
This weekend we put the finishing touch on making our own syrup from the maple trees in our yard. We were inspired after reading an article in the Minnesota Volunteer magazine. We have thoroughly enjoyed having a vegetable garden, apple trees, pear trees, raspberry and strawberry patches, bluebird houses, and flower gardens every year, so this sounded like a nice addition to everything else we do in the yard.
What I am Reading
