Lately I’ve taken up gardening. I’m not a big “plant guy” or always had a “green thumb”, but I feel like growing your own food seems like a pretty basic and important life skill, so I want to go for it. Not only do I think it is important for me to know how to do that, but it’s important for me to know so I can teach my kids how to do it as well, not only in words but just in practice. They see me do it, they think “if dad does it, it must be important”, so later in life they feel it is important too. It’s a little daunting to think that my actions today influence their whole world view tomorrow. But that’s why I’m growing the garden!
I started the garden in April. I got some growing lights, and some seed germination tray things (more on those later) and ordered the seeds around February or March (I was determined to get a head start this year). It worked like a charm at first. The kids helped me put the seeds in, and I followed the books to see which ones I should plant inside first, and which are not so good at planting inside (carrots, for instance, they said don’t replant very well. Considering they’re all about the root, I guess that makes sense).
Then we waited. And waited a little more. The little seed leaves came up first, and then some true leaves. I showed the kids and it was a great little learning experience. But then something happened. Nothing else happened. They stopped with the first or second set of true leaves, and wouldn’t really do much more.
My theory on what went wrong goes a little something like this: natural is always better. Just like genetically modified foods and factory made things, even “studio” made carbon copy movies – anything made without any heart and soul, not using the earth and natural materials, anything made in a “factory” is destined to not be as great. I want homegrown – like I want my kids to turn out. Not sickly fluorescent light pale city kids. I want tanned and lean country kids. Kids who grow up in the sunshine by the creek skipping rocks and catching toads.
My plants did all right. Some of them died, but some of them lived. The point was they were just a little weak. Just a little pale. Just a fluorescent light copy of what would grow in the sunshine. And if I had to do that again I would be okay, but now I see that sometimes you can’t put a price – or a timeline – on nature.
If I had it to do again I would have used the sunlight near the windows more, or utilized a greenhouse after the true leaves sprouted. That might have been the solar power those plants really needed! :)
Thursday, June 24, 2010
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