Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Chapter 8 - Putting Down Roots




It's Not About the Plants - It's About the Roots


I've spent this past winter hibernating.  My husband Tony gave me three great gardening books for Christmas so I had plenty to read while I sat by the fire trying to keep warm.
Cool weather pansies
put down deep roots in
our favorite container -
galvanized wash tubs.

One was about four season gardening.  Another about root cellar-ing and the third a bible of gardening outside the box.  I devoured the books hardly being able to wait until spring to get started.

Interestingly, the authors were all speaking to my soul saying things about which I had been thinking.  Is it that all gardeners have thoughts growing in the same direction or is it that my thoughts drew these books to me?   Probably a little of both.

Gardening is not about the plants.  It's about the roots.  If your plant can put down roots, you'll have good results inspite of any gardening short-comings you may have.

The deeper the roots, the stronger the plant.  The stronger the plant, the healthier the plant.  The healthier the plant the more it produces.  Healthy plants mean beautiful blooms, heartier veggies and sweeter fruits.

Deep pots yield deep roots.
The deeper the root,
the bigger the blossom.
These ordinary, nursery mill
pansies produced enormous
3 inch blossoms! 
Plants with shallow roots loose their footing when the wind blows strong or a heavy rain sets in and they take up more space than they produce. 

People are like that, too - don't you think?

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