Tending to the Little Ones

The weather cooperated divinely this week.  Rains and overcast alternated with sunny cool all week.  The little sprouts are popping up through the soil and churning out new leaves.  The arrival of sprouts is an occasion for reflection.

Underway!

In each of the starters, we placed two seeds each in four holes.  The seeds have all sprung, but in order to cultivate the best crop, only one of each sprout in each of the holes can survive.  Two together would weaken both of them.

Tomatoes sprouting 5/29/2012

Cucumber 5/29/2012

The need to cull the sprouts becomes a moment to considering the painful paradox that living presents us.  There is no mistaking the tough hold of life that is already animating the beans and squash and dill and eggplant.  The two-day old, two-leafed structure requires a firm pinch and solid tug to wrest its roots from their embrace of the soil.  Like velcro, many embedded connections, and then free.  I murmur encouraging words to the sacrifical sprout, "You did good.  It's not your fault.  Your grew well."  And then pluck it.  We must kill to live.

Sacrificial bean sprout

My undergraduate interns and students do not like to cull the sprouts at the Peace Patch Garden.  I will often find new rows of withering sprouts where the students tried desperately to save every seedling by replanting it in an open space in the bed.  The murder of the genius that springs from the seed is never done lightly and it always comes with a portion of shame.

Sprouts in front, transplants in back

With that shame, however, has also come a healthy crop of seedlings.  Everything save the new parsley, coriander, and acorn squash has sprung.  The transplants have stabilized, too.  Three of the four tomatoes appear to be headed to a healthy recovery, the nasturtiums are still hanging in the balance but look better, the two parsleys are looking fine, and, while we have not given up all hope for the scraggly okra plant (the leafless stalk visible againt the red tub), I have already imagined new uses for the pot where it rests.

Winter squash, tomatoes, cucumber, beans, and basil sprouts 6/1/2012

I will need much more space and many more three gallon pots before I'm done.  Corn, sunflower, and kohlrabi seeds went in today.  A visit to Gateway Organic Farm is impending in the next week or so as well.

Stay tuned!

Direct questions to The Gardener.