In the northern hemisphere, it’s that springy time of year when things are sprouting up.
Since becoming a lazy gardener, I don’t always write down what seeds were sown and where. In their babyhood, garden vegetables, “higher value” flowers and “weeds” can look remarkably similar.
Experienced gardeners know that the early stages of beautiful blooms and foliage often look unimpressive. You might also be amazed at the energy that goes into growing roots ahead of above-ground growth.
Cycles in nature attune one’s expectations to various paces of development, whether raising parsley or children. Or watching red wiggler worms make compost (a.k.a. “black gold”). Preparing the soil in advance is one of the more important steps. If you’ve ever tried lasagna gardening, trench composting or sheet mulching, the preparation begins well before planting.
These things take time.*
*But if you’ve been waiting for 18 months™ or longer, I don’t know what to say.
Also posted on Yours.org.