Time to Reflect

As the seasons change, new challenges emerge. This season is no different, as demonstrated by the recent unexpected hardish frost. Yet, strangely enough, I find the winter to be one of the most interesting (and certainly most challenging) of times.

Because most plants close down at this time, I suppose it sort of focuses the mind on the growth process of the odd few plants which are still active. Things are moving much more slowly - only ticking over - so there is time to observe (be warned: it's a bit like watching paint dry) and to reflect. And because resources (such as light and temperature) are limited, we are challenged to dig down deeper for creative solutions.

I think it true to say that I have learned more about growing, during the winter months than at any other time of year; and this despite my activities being more or less reduced to window ledges. Strange.

As far as this blog is concerned, I should now have time to discuss and explain all those things I didn't have time for during the season. And in addition, I have some interesting (at least I hope they will be interesting) projects in mind. The only problem is that I am very much in the dark as to whether they will work or not. I hope you don't mind that. But it is how I like to be: trying new ideas and techniques. Of course, needless to say, they usually do not work as intended.

Something to Admit

I have to get something off my chest, something that is troubling me . . . I have started cheating . . . You know those Basil seeds which didn't grow - the ones I said I would leave a bit longer to see what happens? Well, nothing ever did happen. So I have put them in the propagator to hurry them along a bit (or should I say a LOT).

I never told you. This was suggested to me earlier. But I dismissed it. However, since the season is getting so far behind, and since I want to show you how to take cuttings, soon, I have put some Dahlia tubers in there to get them going (it is still too cold in the garage, unusual for this time of year). Anyway, I couldn't resist. I popped the Basil in as well.

Oh, and something else: the Willow catkins are not in my own garden. I spotted them whilst out walking.

There, I feel better now. Who said confession wasn't good for the soul.

Weather Creates Quandry

This bout of rain has been very welcome and has done much good. As you can see from the bursting Hawthorn buds, spring growth has finally begun in earnest; we shall have to, as well.

Because of this I am left in a quandary as to how to progress. Many of you will have gardens and might be looking for specific advice. And perhaps this blog is the type of place that should be giving it, I don't know.

But as I said at the start, there are many different ways of growing, all of which might be right. I came to the conclusion years ago that growing is more of an art than a science. I have not deviated from this position. Part of the problem is that gardens vary so much in their individual characteristics; what would suit one garden might not suit another, even one next door; and added to this, treatments depend so much on what has gone before.

Gardens are extremely diverse and complex. Realistically, it would be impossible to give anyone advice, especially since I am unfamiliar with your situations. To pretend otherwise would be folly.

A BASIC BLOG
This is a basic blog progressing from first principles, onward and hopefully upward. Although I cannot deal with individual situations, I can discuss and explain the fundamentals of growing and how they can be adapted to suit different environments and growing conditions; and this indeed is an objective.

Since, as you can appreciate, this is beyond the current scope of a few paragraphs per day, and since to go down this route now would mean deserting the new growers who have followed so far, I want to do two or three things:

Firstly, I want to ensure that what has been outlined so far has been fully understood and assimilated. I cannot tell you how important watering (the basis of the 'discussion' so far) is in the process of growing. It is literally 'make or break'. Therefore, I want to carry on demonstrating the basic watering and seed-growing techniques already begun.

Secondly, I want you to gain some appreciation of my own growing technique. This might or might not be right for you, I don't know; but if you don't mind observing it for a while, I will try to explain how it is based on the basic fundamentals of watering and other management techniques which I shall soon be describing.

I hope that when everyone is feeling confident, we can enter a discussion about these principles and about how they might be relevant to your own growing situations. We should all gain much from this.

You might have noticed that this blog is not about constant success. As you know, success is never constant, as much as we might like it to be. Success comes from understanding. And real understanding comes through the experience of doing, especially of doing wrong. We need to stretch the boundaries, break the rules, do things differently.

I want us to make mistakes. I want us to learn. I think we shall all get the most out of things this way and become better growers. I hope you feel the same.


Jimini