An Exercise in Patience

Gardening requires the utmost levels of patience.  I am not a patient person.  At all.  Houston, we have a problem.

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I’m the type of person that goes to check the garden beds the same day that seeds are planted.  Anything growing, yet?  Then back an hour later.  How about now?  The suspense is KILLING me.  Ugh.

I’m pretty sure every serious gardener shares my dilemma.  If you don’t, well, I just don’t know what to do with you.  You’re probably a nice person and all, but, well…

The worst part is that winter garden slump.  Even here in Central California with no snow or regular hard freezes, we go through a period of time where little is happening.  The cool weather crops are showing promising signs, but aren’t quite ready.  The winter fruit is starting dwindle, and the flower buds for the summer supply are being a bunch of teases.

February hits me hardest of all.  We have lately been having these warm spells that pull on us hard to go outside.  The temptation is so strong to start planting things, but the reality is that there is often a last minute temperature drop as Winter makes one more gasp before leaving that could put an end to all that hard work.

So in the meantime, the Old Man and I have to content ourselves with wandering around the yard looking at closed flower buds and tiny carrots.  Maybe they’ll be ready tomorrow?  Maybe.