4 Things Gardening has Taught me About Making Decisions

Grow toward the light
The summer is in full swing and we’ve been spending most of our free time out in the garden. (Update coming soon.) The past couple months have been full of events catching up with family and friends. While everyone has exciting new developments going on, conversations continue to circle around the same topic: growth and making decisions. As I was out in the garden a few days ago, I noticed our how our bean stalks were growing, in strange contortions upwards, and it got me wondering: how do plants make decisions?  After sitting and taking notice for awhile, here’s some of the lessons I walked away with.
 

There is a natural order to everything.

…even if it looks like a hot mess. If the bean stalks can find the light, so can we. Reach towards what feels right and welcoming. The details can be figured out later. Chances are, conditions will change; some rain may come, a draught might pass through, and a rabbit may gnaw on some of your favorite leaves, but you will adjust. Trust in the natural order.


Just plant the seed.

Stop worrying about how it will or will not take root. If we don’t plant it in the first place, nothing will grow. It’s easy to get caught up in planning, analyzing and weighing our options. The future is important, but wasting time focusing on the next steps “if” the seed sprouts, looks something like this:

Dirt Crossroads

The bed is dug, the soil is ready, the sun is shining. Plant the seed. You can always get rid of the plant later, or find a lovely new home to send it to.


Maintenance is required.

Planting the seed is not enough to enjoy a flourishing garden. No matter how much careful planning and thought is put in to place to create the perfect habitat, it will need to be maintained. We have to prune, hydrate, nourish, and tend to the garden. It will evolve. Be aware of the changes and adjust accordingly. Sometimes that means it’s time to completely turn the bed over, but you can always reseed it. Trust in the natural order.


Weeding out the non-sense is an essential practice.

Be aware, spend time in the garden. The hardest part of weeding is learning to identify the weed itself. Sometimes it is super easy, and sometimes the garden has a few days to grow and when we come back, the weeds are camouflaged amongst the garden. That’s when we’ve really got to get in there and figure out how to uproot it without disturbing everything else around it.

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