#2 Grow Something

I will admit, when I first read this suggestion, it didn’t particularly excite me.  It seemed too simple, too ordinary.  Not quite 30 worthy. Then two other people suggested it, so I felt compelled to re-consider.  To be fair, one of my friends suggested I could grow anything….he suggested a child.  Given that I live in an apartment without access to planting land and my balcony receives zero sunlight, for a second I considered it.    Then I spent the day with my five littlest nieces and nephews…probably best to keep it to plants.

One of my beloved friends specifically requested that I grow something from seeds, so off to Home Depot I went.  Inspired by the fact that several people submitted cooking challenges, I decided to attempt an herb garden.  This decision was not at all influenced by the fact that Home Depot sells an affordable herb garden starter kit with all supplies included. ;)  I remained skeptical that my shadowy balcony would fruitfully produce herbs, so I also got some wildflower seeds as a back-up plan. I figured wildflowers are fairly hardy considering they naturally grow in the wild, so I was practically guaranteed success.

Although I initially had little emotional interest in this challenge, I was unexpectedly hooked from day one.  Racing to my balcony to inspect my garden became my new post-work routine.  After a few days passed without seeing any sign of progress, I quickly doubted my gardening skills. I lamented the absence of growth to a friend; he was quick to tell me to give it time and to continue to water and nurture the vacant pots of soil.  One week from the day I first planted, I had my first cilantro sprout.

 

Most of my sprouts came up from the ground folded over like this. Who knew? By their second day above dirt they generally advanced to upright sprouts. Once the first few sprouts sprouted, their innumerable friends joined. 

 

 

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Gardening has taught me the value of patience. I’m still contentedly and expectantly waiting for my wildflowers to grow buds and blossoms, though I am enjoying the variety of the greenery pictured above in the meantime. It’s also taught me the importance of loving/nurturing to individual needs.  At first, I watered all of my plants equally not knowing any better.  Most of my plants did well enough, by the chives refused to grow.  I almost gave up on them, when a solitary chive sprout finally surfaced above the crust.  Its droopy appearance bore the truth that I was overwatering the little guy.  On the other hand, chives’ neighbor cilantro needs way more water than the rest.  Apparently, one size watering can does not fit all, even amongst the herb variety.

^"But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."  --Matthew 13:23