Gardening is a passion project! Every year I look forward to Spring when I get to start my seedlings and plant new fruit trees, flowers rose bushes and MORE! It’s a time of rebirth, re-growth, rejuvenation, refreshment, fresh start, hope springs anew . . . all of the good!
One thing that I have learned, as a gardener, is that -
No#1 - Germination starts in the Dark
I start my seeds by soaking them in a diluted solution of seaweed to water 1:4 ratio or 1:8. Less seaweed and more water.
Then I plant the seeds in potting soil which is loose and nutrient rich. The seeds stay in the dark for 24 hours. (Side Note - Read the book of Genesis in the Bible - seeds are created 24 hours before the Sun).
There is so much growth and potential that is sprouted in our darkest seasons. Many philosophers call it the dark night of the soul. We feel like we’re being buried when truthfully new growth is being germinated and will eventually break forth. Don’t worry this season won’t last forever. It could be brought on by trauma, divorce, severe betrayal, a death of a loved one . . . there’s so many factors. The common denominator is it feels dark, oppressive, lacking oxygen, lacking light, heavy - it can also be confusing and frustrating and it can feel like you’re all alone and that it will never end. But it will - if you hold on. There’s a breaking forth that does happen as the little, weak, green shoot of HOPE breaks forth through the dark soil. It feels like it’s burying you, but really it’s an incubator of sorts which is birthing something new!
Back to Gardening.
After 24 hours, I start the seeds on a low level of lighting, inside, until they sprout, keeping the soil moist. These little seeds can’t take the harsh reality of a sun on full blast - they need coaxing, nurturing, and a reduced exposure to sunlight - they can only take a fraction of reality.
After the seedlings break through the top of the Soil . . .
Keep them moist - HOPE is a great moisture for our weakened resolve and fragile souls.
Hardening Off
As the seedlings sprout in a protected environment - not exposed to harsh sunlight and/or weather and winds and predators - as the seedlings grow and expand . . it is time.
The seedlings are then placed outside as they gradually acclimate to the real world. They gradually are exposed to the harsh realities of sun, wind, predators, etc.
The time that they are exposed to the real world is limited and they are gradually exposed to the sun. Usually I start them in measured doses. Maybe put them out in the morning and as the sun comes up, then they are exposed to the sun but not in its harshest hour.
At night, the seedlings are brought in to ensure they are protected from frostbite, etc.
Over a couple of weeks (approx. 2 weeks) the brand new seedlings will develop a thicker skin and will develop the ability to be able to withstand the real world - a harsher reality.
Finally - after the seedlings have outgrown their small environment, they are ready to be planted in the larger garden so they can grow and expand.
Moving Day
Moving the seedlings outside into the garden takes the careful and tender hand of an experienced gardener.
On moving day, it’s best to move the tender seedlings, during the early morning hours or even better - towards the end of the day - at dusk. If they are moved during the hottest part of the day then most likely they will not survive as the seedlings go into extreme shock.
I like to move them at dusk, which is around 5pm - 6pm in April or May. If you wait until the June timeframe then 7pm would be good.
I dig a hole, backfill it with some potting soil, insert the seedling until ½ or ¼ of it is above the soil line, pour a mixture of water (primarily) and a couple of tablespoons of B12 (which reduces the shock) into the cavity of the hole and then backfill the hole with outdoor gardening soil or potting soil which is very loose. Often times I will mix the soil with peat moss which adds nutrients and allows Oxygen to flow.
Be gentle! The seedlings are tender after their dark night of the soul and emergence and hardening.
Speaking of Fertilizer
Most people don’t like to talk about it, but animal dung - specifically cow, etc. is turned into fertilizers and it adds important nutrients to crops and gardens. Be careful though - it must be cured! The bad bacteria must be burned off - this takes on average - about 120 days!
The Fertilizer must be cured or it must wait 120+ days, before it is added to the garden, or it could poison the crops to where they are no longer edible. The nitrogen cannot be “HOT”; it must be cured properly; otherwise the garden can become toxic to human consumption.
I’ve found, as a gardener, that the safest way to add fertilizer to any garden is using fish emulsion which is extremely watered down - otherwise too much YUCK will burn and kill any crop!
Fertilizer is important to crops. It brings nutrition and creates bigger, healthier, more nutritious and more robust crops when applied properly and with plenty of water.
Anyhow, the point is that FERTILIZER or DUNG is actually a catalyst for growth in any garden - even YOURS.
We all have “Fertilizer” in our Lives - things that we’re not proud of, poor decisions that we have made, people that we have hurt, people who have hurt us, regrets, disappointments, injustices, etc!
Use your FERTILIZER to bring about a more abundant harvest of internal growth which can open the door to opportunities, prosperity, HOPE and LARGER BLOSSOMS!
How can using the fertilizer in your life bring about growth and acceleration? By acknowledging it happened (don’t compartmentalize or deny), by processing through your fertilizer (don’t shut off your feelings - fertilizer stinks!), by metabolizing it and using it as FUEL to grow and launch from - don’t let it bury you! And by looking at it in a beautiful way . . yes, it stinks; it doesn’t feel good, it can even feel hurtful, but by extracting the painful and stink and saying, “I’m going to process through this, metabolize it, and use the outcome for my good. I accept it, even if it wasn’t right or fair, by accepting the reality of it, and using the manifestation of it to not only be a survivor, but a THRIVER & OVERCOMER.
We all have fertilizer in our lives or negative situations that have happened to us - the choice is ours - will we allow these situations to bury us or define us? OR will we allow these negative situations to LAUNCH and GROW us into the marvelous, beautiful, and incredible humans that we are meant to be . . .
Thus, we BLOOM.
You are a beautiful and amazing ORIGINAL. No one has your same DNA, footprint, characteristics, skillsets, attributes, etc. Each person is made and built completely unique!
However, each person doesn’t bloom at the same rate, speed, velocity, or volume.
BLOOM O’ beautiful Flower!! You were made to spread your petals of beauty and talent as your unique scent floods this world and your unique stamp is forever established.
Lady Bird Johnson is quoted as saying, “Where flowers bloom, so does HOPE.”
Check out our - “YOU are crowned with His Beauty and Splendor” - Ps 8:5 Check out this shirt; Wear Your Fire!
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