Forgetful Things and What Do I Do Now?

>> Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Since my inner gardening alarm went off the other day, I have been itching to get something going. Since the ground is still frozen and the valley is socked in with an inversion layer to the point that we have all been advised by those who ponder such things against going outside. So, I sit here wondering what can I do.

I already ordered some seeds and have prepared their little pots for their arrival but it just isn’t enough to satisfy my urge.

Then I suddenly remembered some bulbs hanging in the garage. I know, I know, why aren’t they in the ground. Well, to be honest, I had hung them up in a perfectly ‘brilliant’ place last summer after digging them up for dividing and just forgot all about them. Insert heavy disappointed sigh here.

Which leads perfectly into part of the reason for this post. Over the years I have compiled a loose leaf notebook of ideas for garden designs, hardscape plans and the like, and I dig it out every winter once that gardening bug bites me again. The problem is the plans just no longer seem to look as good as when I first discovered them. Their ‘perfectness’ no longer works. Maybe it’s because I don’t follow a ‘master plan’ so my garden design evolves as a result of what works at the time. This is a result of my never staying in one place for more than a couple of years at a time so I never saw any point in a master plan. So, I truly am new at this.

I also collect ideas I find in my travels through cyberspace and those get stored in the bookmarks folder. After a while that folder becomes so overloaded that I give up trying to make any sense of it so I start sifting through it tossing the plans that will never see the light of day in my backyard for whatever reason.

Now I’m wondering should I even collect ideas or should I only concentrate on what makes sense at the time and focus on that until it becomes reality? It seems sort of, I don’t know, myopic, and I will most certainly miss out on other great ideas while focusing on this one.

While pondering this conundrum, I took some of those forgotten bulbs and placed them in some pots I had laying around thinking I would force them to bloom indoors. I have seen other people do it. It can’t be that difficult could it? Besides, some of the bulbs are already sending up shoots, so, I’m practically already there.

It was good to get my hands back into the soil, however briefly, though.

Now I need to find something else to do. I think I’ll double check those peat pots and make sure they really are ready to go.

4 comments:

Anonymous January 21, 2009 at 7:10 AM  

Seems you are getting ready to the spring planting season as well. I am still keeping my hands tied. Too often I started too early and ended up throwing away a lot of plants which didn't turn out right. This year I didn't forget to put any bulbs back into the ground, however I forgot to mark what's what ... and it should be a surprise. I am hoping I won't have orange tulips next to pink ones. ;-) Thanks for stopping by my blog, Andrea

Greg W January 23, 2009 at 10:05 AM  

Andrea, I love 'some' surprises, finding bulbs that didn't get into the ground isn't one of them, but at least you will get some flowers.

I also am fearful of starting too soon but I have plans of using some row covers and a cold frame so hopefully I won't have to throw anything out, oh what a terrible thought.

Happy Gardening

Robin hill farm January 25, 2009 at 4:47 AM  

I can't wait to get out in the garden too. There are still three inches of snow outside though, so I will have to wait a while longer. -Lee

Greg W January 25, 2009 at 10:52 AM  

Hi, Lee and Beth, we are getting a lot of rain right now. Been raining since yesterday. Can you believe rain in January? Maybe in Oregon, right.

So, anyway, most the snow is disappearing and it makes it even tougher to wait for Spring because it already feels like it should be here.

Thanks for stopping by, Greg

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