Moms know best
My mom always advised, “Don’t plant your garden until Mother’s Day.”
She was in town last weekend and helped me set up the balcony garden. We walked through the aisles of Home Depot’s garden department for an hour and a half, admiring, choosing and weighing the pros and cons. But mostly just admiring.
“Look at that beautiful strawberry plant. It looks so happy. You need it. Yes. You need it. Put it in the cart”
And so, the balcony garden came to be.
Mom is wise when it comes to the ways of plants. She’s not afraid to dig her hands into the dirt. She scoffs at those who wear “gardening gloves.”
Under her tutelage I’ve come to understand the value of proper drainage and the necessity of talking to your plants. Positive affirmation goes a long way in reaching full bloom potential. It really does.
For all her wisdom, it turns out, the “no garden before Mother’s Day rule” doesn’t apply to Minnesota.
The #balconygarden came inside last night, and will probably do the same tonight. Temperatures can reach below freezing in mid-May up here in the North. And so, I’ve spent most of the day watching Netflix and painting my nails.
As a plant mom, it’s hard to see your babies cooped up inside, away from the direct sunlight. But you have to do what’s best for them, you know?
I’ve told them that the forecast looks promising – that they’ll be tall and lush and vibrant in no time. I didn’t mention The Evil Squirrels of Loring Park. It’s best not to focus on the negative. And plus, when they’re inside – as long as the squirrels don’t get in through the hole they ate in the screen of my kitchen window – they’re safe.
