The Plants Will Persist

We’re going to take a break from the malicious, intentional dismantling of our government by the dementor muskrat and the flaccid Cheeto to talk about plants. They will sprout and grow regardless of human shenanigans. As my friend Becky often says, plants are heroes.

Today is just a quick update on my indoor garden and the newly planted seeds for the spring. The 2025 gahdening season has begun!

When we last left off there had been a multipronged attack of various bugs. The pepper plant had white bugs and the flowering maple was besieged by scale of all things. It was decidedly disgusting. The lemon balm contracted some kind of mildew, which I am still battling. However, the pepper plant continues to be bug free and chill, sloooowly growing the two little baby peppers like a plant version of the Big Lebowski: the dude abides.

I have also transplanted one of the maple cuttings I made when the scale took over. The glass of water they were in was swirling with long, healthy gorgeous roots, and when I pulled them apart, they all belonged to one of the cuttings. The other had roots that looked more like 5 o’clock shadow. So that one went back in the water. It flowered happily there, so I’m hoping for the best.

The hydroponic garden is well underway. Well, the lettuce, as usual, is well underway, and I just harvested the first leaves. One spinach plant has been taking it’s sweet time and looks like an awkward teenager, but it’s coming along. I try not to scare it by hovering over it thinking intently, “When can I eat you?!!?” The other spinach plant is still huddled in its seed coat under the little plastic dome — perhaps it’s a mind reader. This is the third group of seeds I’ve put in that pod, so not sure if it’s the location, the seeds, or what. I mean come on guys, this garden is 15 inches by 5 inches. How can it have a bad spot? The basil is also growing at the speed that it should, which is to say, not fast enough for my culinary desires.

I also planted the jilo and loofah seeds, both tropical plants that need a looooooong lead time and will end up outside. My plant habit is still relatively under control, and I have not yet splurged on a whole seeding system, with heat mats and grow lights. But it’s not because I am frugal or actually that much in control. It’s more because I don’t have the room. But I did buy an official seedling tray after several years of proudly growing seedlings in various recycled containers only to nearly denude them of all the soil trying to dig them out of the, er, various shapes when it was time to transplant. This neat sturdy block of uniform soil squares came with a tool to remove the seedlings undisturbed. I will let you know if I was bamboozled by the gardening company. It’s also self watering, as long as I remember to check the water level. That one is strictly on me.

And this is the whole happy group in the one available sunny window.

So that’s it. May you make it through this week with something impervious to loser dictator wannabees. Spring is still teasing us, but it, the plants, and we will persist.