Root Time

Inbetween the Rains and with Weather Warming in these parts in the Earth's Spring Cycle, Gardening Season is in high gear. These 3 weeks will be the big planting push for Gardening 2010. We try not to think about our Big Plan for the Garden. It would be far too overwhelming. Rather, we are thinking about it in manageable chunks and in ways that will focus our attention on the "small". We take comfort in: "What gets done is that which is supposed to get done."

For now, we are in the middle of "Root Time" according to the Stella Natura Calendar focusing on Biodynamic Gardening. The Old Timers would have called it "Gardening in the Sign" and many would not have done work on the Farm without it. Biodynamic Gardening is based on some of the same beliefs, yet it factors in even more information. We try to follow it as best we can. Intuitively, it just makes sense. Plus, we have so much at stake in growing as much of our own food as possible, why would we not? [http://www.stellanatura.com/]

In the middle of all of that, Richard continues to build Raised Beds. They are sprouting in more and more places in the Garden. He can do that just about any time, as long as the Soil is accommodating and there is no Rain. This morning, he got things set up for the 2 additional Rain Barrels we will be putting in place close to the Garden. We will be having someone to work on the downspouts tomorrow, for both on and off the Rain Barrel Season. Plus, he will be installing our "dual flush toilet". (More about that later.)

Back to "Root Time": Yesterday, I shared over 13 dozen Leeks with Friends in the area. That adds to the 7 dozen I had already shared.

I put into Sand the Sweet Potato Starts which are now well rooted, plus I set the Mother Tubers aside to root more. So far, I have the potential for 79 Sweet Potato Plants, counting the 8 Mother Tubers. That assumes all goes well. Again, I am sure we will be giving some away.

Melanie and I planted Celeriac (46) and Leeks (36) as the daylight was waning. We already have a bunch in the ground. Today, I will finish the planting of Leeks with about 3 dozen just outside the Dining Room steps. I remember that we used them up through December last year. They just got better and better. At that time, it was more difficult for us to get into the Garden, plus it was nippy besides. Having them outside the Door in a Kitchen Garden was really smart.

Since we are moving speedily at this season, we sometimes do not have time to think. I made signs to post as to what time of planting that we are in. I used the back of a cereal box for separate cards on "Root", "Leaf", "Flower", "Fruit" Times. In the moments when I await the computer to warm up, I have been coloring them with my magical Colored Pencils. Yes, even as a grown-up, I love to color.

I posted the signs right in front of our noses as we walk out the Door into the Garden. So far it is working. Every day seems to be its own test.