I Don't Know Why Weeding

Bob Bauer

January 11, 2020 (Last Updated: March 06, 2023) | Reading Time: 2 minutes

Forest and Stream in Winter

January 11, 2020

I don't know why weeding was so much fun yesterday, maybe it's because the sun came out. Winter gardening can be an emotional rollercoaster ride. Bright sunshine bombards our retinas with photons reflected off leaves, water droplets, compost mulch, straw and grass blades and increases the vibrancy of colors. It seems to excite our cerebrum into a feeling of joyful participation in our surroundings. The dullness that clouds contribute removes a dimension, and dampens enthusiasm..

The warmth of sunshine feels like life entering us. It's palpable benignity is a mood alterer. It's sensual intrusion a welcome vistor. We get to pause in our labors and cherish the moment..

January 12, 2020

We had frozen spinach last night for dinner and I loved it. It made me want to plant more spinach this year. I always plant half a pack of seeds in the spring and save the second half for fall planting, but this year I'm going to plant the whole pack in spring. One 8' row always looks like enough, but I'll plant two 8' rows eight inches apart on February 5th..

I will also stop looking negatively at the overwintering spinach, trim off the yellow and misshapen leaves, and appreciate it for what it is. It's not supposed to be aesthecly pleasing now, it's supposed to be dormant and waiting with abundant roots for warmer weather, so that it can provide the earliest crop. My bad..

January 13, 2020

I've been having a hard time enjoying my overwintering lettuce because it looks bad. It started getting mold on the leaves and I wanted to pull it out. I took the lids off the cold frames to increase air circulation and saw the edges of the leaves where I had last picked were brown. Like my spinach it was very unattractive. I couldn't imagine wanting to eat those leaves, but realized that the leaves that grow out in the spring will be clean, fresh and tender, so I just need to be patient..

Having a garden for your viewing pleasure, and for healthy veggie production, can sometimes have conflicts. It can be a balancing act that changes with your mood and energy level. Sometimes growing veggies is just an excuse to create a beautiful environment for you to play in, and other times it's the purpose you require to feel fulfilled..

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