Planting Seeds

There is a sense of anticipation and trepidation with the coming planting season. I have poured over the seed catalogues during the cold days of winter and carefully chosen new seeds to supplement the stash that I have left over from the previous year. The anticipation is in the actual process of planting and designing this years’ garden. Where will I put the paste tomatoes this year? What will my new sugar snap pea trellis look like? How many rows of carrots and sweet corn will I plant? When will I start planting early vegetables?

The trepidation comes when I think of all the hours of work that goes into the weeding, tending, watering, pruning, growing and, ultimately, the harvesting of the fruits and vegetables. As I survey the small green plants that I have started indoors in the last few weeks I wonder if I have enough tomatoes and peppers or too many. Have I started them too soon? When should I start sowing seeds directly in the garden? When will the last hard frost be? And as the questions circle around in my mind I start to get anxious and worry that somehow what I do won’t be good enough to grow a successful garden. I should read more, learn more, grow more (just in case the first plants don’t make it)…just…more. And right now? I don’t have it. The more. Because what’s coming our way this summer will take all my strength and “more”. So. Then what?

I have to constantly remind myself that I plant seeds because I have hope. Hope that despite my lack of knowledge or time or energy the seeds will still grow and produce something. Hope that these precious seeds I plant will not be in vain. The fruits and vegetables will be enough to sustain the body and fill the pantry and freezer. Hope that just like these seeds of different colours, sizes, textures, and origins, I, too, will somehow flourish and produce something good, right where I have been planted, to bring joy and nourishment to those around me. I plant seeds because of hope. And that hope has to be enough.

Happy planting.