(no subject)

[kuangning]

I'd almost forgotten how good it feels to plant things. Wrist-deep in soil, thinking about nothing more complicated than what these seeds need to grow best.

Planting is a prayer and the answer to that prayer all in one. Let there be life. And I know, from the second the tiny things leave my hand, that there is life, and will be life. Given time, and warmth, and space to grow, those little brown specks will become green specks, and then first leaves, and then there will be so many that I will have to make room for them again in less-cozy pots. There will be the scent of damp soil and growing things in my room for the next months. In a few weeks, that will be joined by the scents of lavender and vanilla grass. Sometime after the vanilla grass springs up, but before I can expect the lavender to bloom, my bulbs will. They're a foot tall already, having kept me company though the last few freezes without complaint. They got their own larger pot today, and seem happy to be able to stretch.

So am I happy to be able to stretch. The world still has room in it for growing things.

Comments

[eleanor.livejournal.com]

I miss the days of having a garden.

[kuangning]

I don't have one. :) What I have is a window alcove with an end table that gives me space for a long planter, a couple of round pots, and one large urn planter to lift my sun-hungry plants above the shade lovers. It crowds the window space, but I love it. :)

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[eleanor.livejournal.com]

I used to do pretty impressive things on a fire escape, but this modern apartment doesn't offer such options. And while I love growing things outside, I don't love tending to inside plants. Of course, that does have someting to do with the cats.

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[kuangning]

Mrr. Yes, that changes things a bit. I have no cats, and the kids love plants, so I don't anticipate any problems. Half the things are edible, though, just in case. ;) Basil and watercress are ridiculously easy to grow.

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[eleanor.livejournal.com]

I used to grow roses, and had maybe five different varieties on one fire escape.

[kuangning]

Ooh. :) Roses, for some reason, don't do well with me. I love them, but I generally leave them to my kid sister; they're the one plant she grows well.

[theotoky.livejournal.com]

yes. yes, yes.

my sister once told me that she found god in the garden. at the time, being a radib atheist, i silently ridiculed her. then i got a garden and i knew just what she meant.

yes.

[kuangning]

*grins.* One of the best things my elementary-school teachers ever did for me was turn me onto planting things. We had school gardens at every school I went to through high school. I didn't know just how much that helped until I couldn't take it for granted anymore. And now I'm just an addict. :)

[minn.livejournal.com]

Oh, how I envy those with a green thumb. :-)

Plants and I don't jell for some reason. They spend a few weeks under my (cautious) care and decide to die. I know I must be doing something wrong, but I can't figure out what.

Still, it's wonderful to hear the gardening/planting tales of others. :-)

[kuangning]

I have just the plant for you.

Bamboo is almost impossible to kill. It likes its feet wet, and often grows in standing water, so you cannot overwater it, and if you forget to water it, it will survive the dry spell and spring back if even the smallest "joint" remains green to be put in a rooting solution. And finding it shouldn't be hard. Just keep it in a pot; it will quite happily take over your yard, and it's almost as bad as kudzu to get rid of.

[fearghaill.livejournal.com]

*grins* My grandfather planted Elephant grass on his property years ago, and at the time, we kids were told to be careful of it, as it was delicate, and he didn't want it killed before it could establish itself. And establish itself it did.

Fast forward to two years ago. The once "delicate" Elephant grass has utterly taken over his properties entire lakefrontage, and wrapped around both ponds. I, good grandson that I am, am brought in to get it under control. Armed with sickle and potato hack, along with an anemic gas-powered brush cutter, I go to work, bringing the 8 foot tall stocks down by the hundreds. I don't want to stop until its all gone - he wants me to leave about a third of it. I plead with him to let me finish what I started - "They all share on underground root system" I tell him, "if any survive, they'll all spring back, as good as new." But it is no use, he won't listen. Lamenting his folly, I pack up my tools and return home.

The next year I am back there, the old battle rejoined. I expect I will be there next year, and the year after that. I know what it is to deal with a plant that will not be satisfied with anything less than everything. You would do well to heed Cairsten's warnings in such matters. I paid for my lesson in blood, and still bear the scar - may yours come at a lesser cost.

Re:

[kuangning]

*laughs.* yes, that's another really invasive plant. Back home, we can spend years trying to get rid of clumps of bamboo. You practically have to burn the things out, which can be dangerous in itself as the stalks are hollow and jointed. A lot of times, burning them causes a series of explosions. And if even a twig gets forgotten on the ground, and it has a living joint, the thing takes root and you have yet another plant. They're lovely plants when kept under strict control, though.

While I'm commenting, though, hon -- from within Mandrake, I don't yet have a program that will handle MSN. Let me know what your schedule looks like, will you? That way I can have an idea when to switch over to Eliot.

[mayamaia.livejournal.com]

Trumpet flowers for me....My gosh, I have had to cut those back SO much over the years.....

[powerpynt.livejournal.com]

I spend my days moving from coat to jacket to vest to flannel to t-shirt to tank top to bare skin and back again every 24 hours. Spring in Minnesota is wonderous indeed! I can't wait for my serbian squill to poke their little heads above ground to announce the soil is ready for my touch. Until then I'll just have to read pages like yours. Thanks hon. I'm ready for a diversion.

[kuangning]

Mm. I think many people are ready for a diversion, more's the pity.

[powerpynt.livejournal.com]

I give hon, you win.

Re:

[kuangning]

... now I'm confused, and I guess maybe I was unclear. I meant that we're all a bit tired of the stress, is all. Stressed is not a good way to be 24/7, and you can only tune in for so long before it starts having an effect.

[powerpynt.livejournal.com]

I read more's the pity as in heavy sigh as in, it shouldn't be. As always I attempted to be light and fostered dark. My connection has failed, I am powerless without. I need a magic pill that removes cryptic. But alas, it's late and drugstores are closed. Sorry hon, I'm in my own little world and should never open the door to strangers.

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[kuangning]

Bah. As far as miscommunications go, that one was tiny and easily resolved. ;)

[thebahboo.livejournal.com]

If you send me some lavender and watercress and vanilla grass I will dry them and put them into hand made soap just for you. It would honor me as both your friend, and a witch, to join with you in that way celebrating the growing of things. It doesn't take much, just a handful of each.

Keep my offer in mind, when everything is grown and lovely.

Loves you, Bahboo

[kuangning]

Ooh... that sounds lovely. Thank you. :) I will take you up on that, I do believe. And, I still have some watercress, gentian, and basil seeds, since it only takes a few. Would you like some for your own planting? They'll each do best indoors, at this point, the watercress especially. If you try the watercress outside, you're likely to find that the slugs harvest it long before you do. ;)