A growing passion

GARDENING – A CONNECTION TO SOMETHING PRIMAL

By Elizabeth MacGregor

Elizabeth MacGregor is a former educator and a regular contributor to SideOne.

As a child, I lived in a fourplex in Montreal with a huge shared backyard. Our dad created a beautiful, large and successful vegetable and flower garden in our half. One September day, while readying the garden for winter, he dug up his prized flower bulbs,and placed them in our walk-in pantry. Gladiolas were among the flowers that were show stoppers all summer long, but could not survive a cold Montrealwinter, buried in the earth.

Immersing our hands in dirt, up to the elbows in soil, is liberating somehow.

On that very cool fall afternoon, our mother decided to make a comforting stew, grateful to have so much fresh produce from the garden.

GLADIOLA BULBS DON’T MAKE GOOD VEGETABLES

As she chopped vegetables in the kitchen, I heardthe sound of pure dismay coming from my father.He kept asking my mother about the whereabouts of the sack of gladiolas he had left on the pantry floor. My mother did not have an answer. Why would he be asking her about those beautiful flowers whose blooms had not been seen for at least a month?

I came to look, as the gardener’s reluctant helper,and no, there was no bag.

Our mother looked up at us and said, “The only bag there had turnips in it and I just cut them up to add to the stew.”

FOR THE LOVE OF IT

Gardeners garden for the love of it, but also toprovide food for themselves and their families.Those who grow flowers are somewhat competitive.If they have managed to purchase a bulb or root that creates a stunning blossom, they have succeeded where many have failed. My father never grew gladiolas again.

Some of us built container gardens, trying to outwit the weeds that grew faster than our vegetables, creating a boxed-in garden with fresh earth in which plants thrive. We added chicken wire or landscape cloth to ward off the rabbits, squirrels and cats. We might have added organic blood meal in an effort to protect our plants against all wildlife that tried to thwart our efforts.

Many Canadians took up gardening for the first time last year, ordering seeds, wood, soil, in such quantities that supplies ran out before people’s enthusiasm did.

We ordered massive bags of soil, wondering where to spread it and found we could have used a second. Tools might be old and passed down, or new and ergonomic.

Facebook groups allow us to share gardening wisdom, which is sure to contradict advice we have been given before.

The popularity of this pastime is not waning as we look to another non-travel summer, peering through our windows at our snow-laden yards, imagining their future as a source of nourishment.

STOLEN CATALOGUES

Seed catalogues have arrived, and are dog-earedfrom indecision, while some bulbs are alreadysold out. According to my letter carrier, there isone particular catalogue that is often stolen dueto its beauty. I wouldn’t know since mine couldn’tbe delivered. The carrier wasn’t allowed to sharethe device where I would sign for it and enter seedheaven.

Immersing our hands in dirt, up to the elbows in soil,is liberating somehow. While we cannot take part inso many things now, we can go outside to our smallor large plot of land, plant some hope and watch asthe tiny plants struggle to produce for us. Gardeningconnects us to something primal, linking our needfor nourishment to our hard work and creative spirit.

As we pick a tomato, or bend to see if the beans areripe, we experience a concrete connection betweenhard work and results.

Get outside: Enjoy your garden. Water the plants, weed, harvest, but most importantly, sit outside with a good book and enjoy their beauty.

The smell and taste of fresh vegetables, justharvested, is far superior to store bought. Perhapsthis is why gardeners return to the soil year afteryear, frustrating crop after successful one, never sure of the outcome of their labour, but enamored by thelove of the work.

GARDENING TIPS:

Buy it because you love it: Gardening is hard work,especially when you can’t see any results for a while.Choose plants and flowers that call out to you,vegetables that you eat regularly.

Tools: Buy good quality tools with strong handlesthat won’t bend when used in hard packed soil.

Soil: You probably could use a big bag of soil. Freshsoil is easier to work with and doesn’t come withweeds like your garden’s soil does.

Container gardening: A big wooden rectangle tocontain your vegetable garden may save you a lotof work, once you make the container. We havegardened without one, but prefer it now that we haveit. It brings everything up a bit higher, so floodingfrom storms is less likely, it is easier to weed, andplants seem to thrive there.

Facebook groups allow us to share gardening wisdom, which is sure to contradict advice we have been given before.

Seeds: There are many seed companies. Check out seeds.ca, Seeds of Diversity, for the names and descriptions of many. Be aware that some companies have already sold out some of their stock.

Some seeds can be planted directly in the ground and some have to be started indoors. Read the packets for advice, and go to Vesey Seeds to learn about the best dates to plant outdoors in your area. Starting them indoors can be done with newspaper pots and earth. Just fold newspaper into a circle, close the bottom, connect the ends, and pour earth into it. Plant a few seeds in each one. You will probably want to keep only one plant per pot. Place your pots in a waterproof container.

It is suggested to have a fan blow over seedlings to help their stalks thicken, or blow lightly on them once a day, and move the container around the room to catch more light as the day wears on. You can then plant the pots directly in your garden whenthe nights are consistently warmer and there is nochance of frost. Just give them some time outsidegradually, for a week, so it is not a shock for them.

Get outside: Enjoy your garden. Water the plants,weed, harvest, but most importantly, sit outside witha good book and enjoy their beauty.