Finally the magical day arrived – the Winter Solstice.
Now let the bells peal with gladness. Uncork the champagne.
In spite of the rain or cold winds, I hope you rushed out to greet your garden again, with the knowledge that it WILL NOT get any darker. The light is returning. We will have the scent of lilac again, or roses. We will have our daffodils, our crocus, our tulips again. The warm smell of lavender, the succulence of a freshly-picked strawberry, and all the other ‘fullnesses’ of our growing seasons.
This is a great time to finish removing the fallen leaves in the garden beds where they might be smothering small plants or rotting the spring bulbs’ tips. Also clean around the trunks of your shrubs and trees where the wind may have blown piles of leaves. This early spring cleaning allows the air to circulate better, reducing rot and disease. And for the tender plants keep your eye on the proposed temperatures and re-install any protection that they might need rather than leaving the current sodden mass in place. The tender plants need to breathe too! As for those unplanted spring bulbs – mea culpa – it is best to soak them overnight in tepid water and then just get them planted – hither, thither, and yon. Is there really any point in continuing to think that this year, or early next year, you are going to do something artful with them? The sheer joy of knowing that they are at least in the ground is well worth the crazy silliness of randomized planting.
After having rejoined with your garden, and given it some caring, gentle attention, it is time to dream and plan for the looming grand gardening year. During the cold days of January, trying to be patient with that promise of the returning light, I do have great fun planning and plotting and musing. With the continuing interest in eating locally, is your backyard – or front yard – going to be expanded into the scale of urban agriculture? Due to my out of control proclivity for planting trees, I have very limited space for “agriculture”, but I do enthusiastically support our local farmers. And this year I am planning on creating a truly viable food cellar in my home. I want, right now for my New Year’s table, a grand ration of those succulent carrots I remember from last summer. I also want some roasted fingerling potatoes, and with the pork loin some homemade applesauce.
I extend to my readers my heartfelt best wishes for their holiday celebrations with family and friends and neighbors. Remember that the gift of time is probably the greatest gift to give to your favorite gardener. Retrieve the new calendar and fill in the dates when you can do child care for them – or do the ‘heavy-lifting’ on the garden to-do list. Loan them your favorite garden book, or get them started with a garden journal. For your older friends or neighbors, don’t ask them what they need help with, for they will be too proud to answer. Rather tell them what you can do and make a schedule with them.
Happy New Year
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