I've said to before. To everything, there is a season.
You, no doubt, have also gone through ‘seasons' in your life, no? Perhaps a season of plenty or a season of pain. A season of fun and a season of trials.
A season of gardening…and a season of no gardening.
Let me tell ya, man. That last one is a killer. Especially considering I love in Zone 9 where you can garden without the fear of frost almost year round.
At our last rental house, we built six raised garden beds, had an outdoor compost bin, and tilled up and planted another 20×20 patch of land. It was enough to provide us with vegetables throughout the summer. And even the springtime treat of freshly picked strawberries – oooh, so tasty!
It also jaded us, in a way. Having to leave all that behind. My gardens, as silly as it may seem, were a part of me. Leaving behind all those freshly planted seeds was awful. And now that we are here, in another rental house, we hesitate at putting the cost and effort into more garden space when our longevity in this house is yet undecided.
But what do you do when you're longing for and missing that piece of yourself?
Container gardening? Perhaps. Though the canopy (or the ‘jungle' as I refer to it) that surrounds our house blocks out most all the direct sunlight.
What I really wish for is a small plot of land. That someone would lend me, of course. Dang Dave knows I won't be buyin' land anytime soon. And in this wish, said land-owner would say ‘Have a go, Shaye! Grow to your hearts content! Plant, and plant, and plant, and harvest, and harvest, and harvest as much as you please!'
At which point, I would die of happiness only after sitting down with my seed catalog and spending without caution.
And though most of the country has yet to think about planting, down here in LoAl (that's slang for Lower Alabama…you know, like SoCal? LoAl? Never mind.) it's already time to get things going.
Lettuce. Kale. Chard. Beets. Turnips. Potatoes. Broccoli. Carrots. Parsnips. Peas.
Sweet vegetable music to my ears.
I struggle. I struggle so deeply without my gardens. Are they my identity? Certainly not. My true identity is found in Christ. Is gardening my end-all? My purpose? My only joy? Of course not.
But I love it. It touches a piece of my soul that is otherwise untouchable.
That may be dramatic, but it's true. Without gardening, I just don't feel…right. I feel funky.
So should I throw caution to the wind and build a raised bed in the jungle behind the house? That is the question I pose to you, my friend. Should I?
For the time, for at least today, I planted a few kale plants and lettuce seeds into a few containers. At least I can get some dirt under my nails that way.
I also finally ordered my red worms to set up my indoor-composting vermiculture system! I plan on bagging the compost they make and will save it for when we can finally dig our heels into a home.
Or until said land-owner offers to lend me a small plot of their property.
Anyone? Anyone?
It will touch a piece of my soul, I tell you!
Lucy Henderly
for real?? I don’t have a plot but I’ve got a nice area in my front yard that is calling out for a garden! you will have to come by and look one day if your really interested. maybe we could work out a team Henderly/Elliott garden extravaganza….hahahaha. I’m thinking you may get a better offer though!
Shaye Elliott
Yes! I would love to come see! Thank you!
Noël McNeil
I say plant what you can and see what comes in the Spring. Changes always seem to happen then. 🙂
Casie Thompson
When I read this it reminded me of this: http://jamesmitchellholland.wordpress.com/2010/07/12/why-we-garden/
Ramona
I understand the need to feel the dirt! Gardening, and my critters, keep me grounded (no pun intended) and centered. I have had to put something in anywhere I have lived for this reason. That feel of warm dirt, putting the plants in, tending to them and watching them grow… I bet if you build up enough of a repoire with some of your local sources you are purchasing from, they may lend you a smidge of land for a season or two.
Also, check out the raised beds on Gardener’s Supply, http://www.gardeners.com/Raised-Bed-Gardens/RaisedBeds_Dept,default,sc.html. Not necessarily to purchase, but to at least look at ideas. Maybe you can build some raised beds that are larger than a pot, but portable enough to take with you wherever your family goes.
Leaving a garden is extremely hard. When we moved from VA to MS, it was in February and the ground was frozen so I couldn’t even salvage some summer bulbs. My vegetable plot was perfect, sleeping under its straw waiting for spring, the flower and herb beds I had. It was so heart breaking to drive past our old house on a visit and see it all gone…the people who bought our house could barely care to mow the lawn and definitely didn’t take care of the flowers or the garden :-(.
Krista Odermann
Do you have a community garden nearby? In our neighboring town, you can rent a plot for $25 for the summer growing season. Also, I have more than enough land to lend you.
Shaye Elliott
Krista, are you teasing me or do you really live nearby and have land?! 🙂
Krista Odermann
No I wish. I DO have land, but not close enough. We live in western WA. I have thought many times, Id give you a chunk to do whatever you want with….we have 14 acres. Im sorry to tease you, I really would share.
Krista Odermann
I apparently didnt finish the whole thought in my head when I typed that response.
Natalie
My husband and I have a similar story… it’s hard living in rentals! We just recently made one smallish raised bed (cinderblocks=cheap), it’s amazing how much you can get with one bed if you’re creative (grow vertically!). It wasn’t a whole lot of cash and it scratches the gardening itch, if you know what I mean. And you can still grow stuff in part shade – peas, potatoes, beets and all kinds of greens.