SuperForest Seedling
Good Evening SuperForest!
I’m so excited to post tonight – in a tiny version of what what SuperForester Carla was talking about a lot of this had been exciting me ‘behind the scenes’ and I was sorta kinda waiting to see how things turned out before sharing it with you. BUT! I realised that one of the things I’m enjoying most about my new activity is the process, the journey – so, I’d like to take you with me…
I’ve recently started gardening, SuperForest. Not revolutionary by any means! But (i) I live in a c.50m.sq. London apartment and (ii) I have no history of the green thumbs! I grew up in a village in the countryside, granddaughter of a farmer, daughter of an awesome dude with a vegetable garden: potatoes, onions, garlic, rhubarb, peas (incidentally, one of life’s particular pleasures: splitting a peapod with your thumbnail and eating the peas straight out of it), raspberries, strawberries, aloe vera and more! Shockingly (and perhaps because of the unthought abundance of my youth) it didn’t strike me until recently, my ability to grow things myself.
nasturtiums and marigolds (picked because darlin’ big sis’ SuperForester Fiona historically planted every seed in a nasturtium pack in the garden when I was a kid and those little troopers grew everywhere. Seriously, my Mum took years to get them back to a manageable amount. And I thought: that? that is exactly the type of tenacity I want in my fledgling gardening efforts)
Well that was sort of dumb of me, but partially borne of a lack of confidence in my ability to do it – and so, in case any of you awesome SuperForesters have that too (my apartment is too small! I don’t have a garden! I’ve killed every plant I’ve ever touched!) I thought I’d share.
Here at SuperForest we’ve written extensively on the importance of seeds. SuperForester Jackson is living it fulltime at Zero One and our very own SuperForester Heather has an incredible food-based blog right here – the practice (and it is a practice) of eating sustainably can’t be understated. But (I hear you urban SuperForesters cry;) I live in a tiny and/or shared apartment! I rent it from a lovely, but fairly strict landlord so cannot drill in a windowfarm (oh, but if you can, do – or build a JackPot!). So, I’m unlikely to sustain myself right now on what I grow at home, at least until I get the go-ahead for a goat in the flat! but I decided to give seed husbandry a shot:
So, I’ve sown seeds.
5 days: you see, that shameful post-work aubergine-craving, oven-ready moussaka wasn’t an entire waste – see how the handy sized foil container is perfect for planting seeds and recycling thereafter!
And I’ve found that the act of engaging in the growing process has been almost instantly valuable in the following ways.
I present: “A Short Play On Novice Gardening In One Act”:
Me: DUDE! I AM GROWING STUFF!!
Me: Aw, I’m speaking to my Mum and Dad even more often to gain their advice on the growing process. They like that. Gardens build families.
Me: Holy Crap! It’s actually growing!! SEEDS ARE CRAZY! I wonder if this is going to turn into Little Shop of Horrors up in here?!
Me: Mummy, Mummy, they look sad. WHAT DID I DO WRONG? I CAN NEVER BE A PARENT. DID I UNDERWATER? DID I OVERWATER? DID I NEGLECT THEM OR KILL THEM WITH TOO MUCH LOVE?? What’s that you say?
Mum: leave them alone for a bit and stop freaking out?
Me: Okaaaay…
Me: DUDE, IT’S STILL GROWING!! ONE DAY I MIGHT *EAT* THIS!!!
It turns out there are many ALL CAPS sentences in my version of gardening.
tiny french marigold seedlings on the windowsill in their own moussaka dish
zucchini, spinach and sunflower seeds
no zucchini (yet! [SPOILER!]), first sprouts of spinach, note the seed-tray: “liberated” from the skip outside the super-fun and socially responsible Camden Garden Centre
I guess what I want to get across, dear SuperForesters, is that it doesn’t matter if you are a “gardener” or if you are “good” with plants (and I have friends who just are: Grazie SuperForester Iolanda for my awesome chili plant:) – why not see what you can nurture? Life is confusing sometimes, things seem complex and changeable and disturbed. But coming home to a new seedling just poking its head through the soil to unfurl? Grounding and empowering and, for want of a better word, priceless.
Exciting updates to come SuperForest! And if you are a gardener, then I would love to hear what you’ve gained from it (and! full disclosure! likely your advice!)
Love to the growers of things,
Love to you
P
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