Living in a new home has meant a new garden and a new gardening climate. From Texas to the Pacific Northwest, I’m now dealing with fewer temperature extremes, but I’m also working with cooler weather and a different rain pattern. I now own a stack of books to help me get started, and I’ve been quizzing master gardeners at every opportunity.
While fertilizing and composting the raised beds in my backyard (complete with deer fence, thanks to the sellers of the house), I’ve been growing seeds indoors under a grow light. In Texas, I just stuck my seeds in the beds, so this is a new experience.
So, too, is the term “hardening off.”
Basically, hardening off means I take my seedlings outdoors for a period of time and get them used to being outside, then bring them in. Each day I extend their time outdoors until they are ready to go into the ground and endure the elements.
I started hardening off my broccoli and onion seedlings. One day I kept them out a little too long, and my onions got droopy. I brought them in, frantic that I had pushed them too far, too fast. I was more careful the next day. Fast forward another four or five days, and they were hardy enough to stay out all day long. As of Sunday, they now have their place in the garden bed.
I’m feeling a bit like those onions. Each day brings new surprises and affirmation that moving to Washington was the right thing for us. Still, even a happy move, one born from choice and options, requires adjustment. I’m still tired from the move. I’m living in a lovely house that doesn’t quite feel like mine yet. Routines are changing, and I suspect that life is going to make many new twists and turns. I haven’t quite “landed” yet. Like the onions, I have gotten droopy from expecting too much, too fast.
Yesterday I began this year’s incarnation of the Colorado Cleanse, which I did on my own last year. The Colorado Cleanse is a two-week detox program that is gentle and safe, and is based on Ayurvedic principles. Through a non-allergenic diet, herbs, gentle yoga, breathwork, and meditation, the body and mind can embrace rejuvenation.
This time around, I am working with an online group rather than doing the cleanse on my own. For the next few weeks, my calendar is quiet. Friday, I get a much-needed massage. I’ve slowed the pace so that I will focus on one room per day, hanging pictures and finding places to put things. I’m looking forward to pulling back, turning inward, and adjusting to my new home. I’m also looking forward to the day when I feel fully planted here, but I know it’s going to take a little while.
The plants teach me so much of what I need to know about living. I wouldn’t dream of pushing those fragile little seedlings into the world before they’re ready. By waiting just a few days, the plants were much hardier, and they are now thriving outside. With the cleanse, with rest, and with giving myself time to explore my new home gently, I too am hardening off so that I can grow and bloom in my new life.
Isn’t it great that when we are open to really experiencing life – in this case your gardening – that we can find so many precious lessons? I’m watching my seedlings too, and so anxious to put them out, but right now it’s the shelter of the screen porch. Happy gardening!
Hugs
Susan
Thanks, Susan! I didn’t start gardening until I was 51, and I’m amazed at how I can still fall in love with new activities, no matter the age. Great to have a fellow gardener visit the blog!
A lovely post, Nadine–so insightful and well written. I enjoyed the analogy you drew with the seedlings. We can learn so much from nature.
I think one room a day is a good way to settle in. That will help you focus, I’m sure. And the cleanse sounds healthy–I’m going to follow your link and look at it. I’ve found in the last week and a half–since I’ve drastically changed my diet–that I feel better.
Thank you for your beautiful comment on my blog today. It really touched me and made me feel better!
Tina, I’m really enjoying our back and forth exchanges on each other’s blogs. Making friends online is a great benefit to blogging!
It’s a beautiful post! I loved the last paragraph and it can apply to everything and everyone. We are sometimes pushing our children too early in doing things on their own 🙁
I think raising kids is truly a difficult job. It’s so hard to know when and how much to support. Some of us push them too soon, and others don’t push at all. Finding that appropriate balance is one of the great mysteries! Thanks, as always, for your comments.
Here’s to broccoli and onions – and cleansing and growth …. and taking one room at a time … one day at a time … and to hardening …
I have gotten my snap peas, lemon cucumbers, bell peppers, squash, eggplant and tomatoes in … still looking for more interesting little things to grow in the garden …
Enjoy the “coolness” that is Washington!
Sounds yummy! The people who lived here before us had Swiss chard and strawberries in the ground, and I planted beets from seed. I have two more beds left to fill, with tomatoes and peppers sprouting in the basement. I also have a slope in the yard that I plan to cover with native plants instead of grass. Should be fun!
I’m glad the transition seems to be going smoothly. I’ll be interested in future garden reports. How do tomatoes grow up there since the summers are short and not as hot? It’s not a summer garden without tomatoes.
Great question, Julie! And I agree – tomatoes are mandatory. I have seedlings growing in the basement as we speak.
It appears that the secret to growing hot weather vegetables such as peppers and tomatoes involves the use of cloches to hold in heat. It just takes some PVC pipe and a plastic cover to create a greenhouse environment. I’m still learning about this, but I’m sure I’ll write about it once I figure it out!