Gardening, procrastination, blogs, and the Oregano Wars

My spring gardening gets along well with my procrastination.  I have no heat pads nor do I have space for starting anything indoors, so instead I occasionally water my one raised bed in the garden area where I’ve planted peas, chives, and wildflowers and my one container outside that has more wildflower seeds in it.  Last night it rained some, so no watering necessary today.

Instead I read other garden blogs.  I’m gathering a list of things I can do indoors that are kind of garden-ish.  I’ve learned how to make seedling pots out of newspaper –https://youtu.be/7dlGQP81yfo?si=H2OzgO4jqOlmVczt ; I only made one and am thinking of it as garden origami. It’s on my desk full of odds and ends. Now I have reduced the constant clutter.  Maybe if I make 999 more, my garden will do well this year…meanwhile, I’ve done a tiny bit of recycling and housekeeping…

I sprouted some scarlet runner beans to test viability and potted one sprout because I couldn’t stand sending them all to the compost.  And I found a few inches of space on a table by a window…

I read about a rookie gardener, gardening with a friend for support.  I choose to garden with a plastic lawn chair that I can drag along with me, useful when getting up after kneeling or the ultimate support – break time.  

To those of you who have space to force bulbs indoors…I salute you!  Now is the time most of those babies are blooming.  I did this once, years ago.  I may bring in a daffodil this year.

Outside, I’m starting to wrangle with my worst decision ever…oregano plants that have spread everywhere.  A few plants many years ago have appeared everywhere, threatening to take over the world.  I love oregano; how was I to know there were two kinds, the kind that stays in one place and the kind that rivals the squirrels in ultimate real estate takeovers.  I think I must have planted Greek oregano (Origanum vulgare), which propagates by seed and by underground runners.

I should have planted it in pots.  However, my time machine is currently in the shop, so I am slowly cutting it to the ground, and pruning again later in the season before it flowers.  Anything not containing seeds will be composted, seeds will be burned.  I will only be able to partially contain it, but this will have to do.  It is even growing between the pavers on the driveway…

“Dealing with Oregano” replaces my sporadic indoor exercise program, weather permitting.  I leave those decisions to the Department of Procrastination.

These old gardening terms are supposed to inspire today’s gardeners

Pleasance (or Pleasuance) – A pleasure ground attached to a castle or mansion, usually outside the fortifications.

It didn’t take much to turn my thoughts to a different kind of inspiration…ahhh youth!…from pleasance to dalliance to romance and more…and of course it’s a rose garden.

When I was young and starting out in gardening, I was so utilitarian. Beds lined up, paths between, all the same size and shape – easy to irrigate. No romance, all practicality.

I’ve never been much of a romantic, now I look back and think, so much wasted time. I’ve lived my life backwards. Now I am more fanciful, as I slow down and smell the roses.

That’s why my main advice to gardeners is to do just that. Sit in your garden and just love it in all its pieces and possibilities. Love the soil and all that lives in it. Love all that lives upon it. Leave your intentions and goals behind for a few minutes and just love what IS. The sun and all that reaches for it. The rain and all that sucks it up through roots and into mouths. The breeze and all that flies and floats and bends.

And the ineffable spirit that connects us all.

Don’t be afraid to love.