Standing at the edge of Three Sister’s Garden I wonder what the seeds are doing four days after being planted.
I imagine them curled up in the dark earth. Drinking in the moisture from Monday’s soaking rain and Jon’s daily watering.
Maybe by now they’re beginning to stir. Unable to resist the changes going on inside of them.
Soon they’ll be stretching and stretching, the edge of an uncurled leaf, separating the soil, poking up out of the earth.
And feeling the sun on the tiniest tip of their being they’ll say, in their own corn, or bean or squash way, Oh! this is what I’ve been looking for.
Back in the years when we had an active garden, I had a habit had learnt in my “plant a bean in a glass jar for the children to watch, on the windowsill” I always did this with new varieties and watched what happened and the time it took–always fascinating.
Then one year I planted a mango pit because it had already sprouted. The sprout grew in a miserable kind of way–this was in Central Texas, hot and humid. Finally I dug it up to dispose of it and found, to my horror, that the poor root could not escape from the husk–it was curled inside, 6 inches long and white and desperate. I replanted it, sans husk, and it shot up. When we moved to Oregon after 3 more years it was a sturdy tree and we gave it to a garden mad friend of ours. It is still going strong, annually pruned, in an immense pot, nearly 30 years later! It’s a giant Mango Bonsai I suppose.
I have also planted a strange Caribbean yam-style root which had wonderfully patterned leaves and went to 6 feet high, but died in the later cold weather. Now I may start doing this again…
That’s a great story Erika. A testament to the mango and you. I can’t imagine growing a tree from a seed and being able to see it 30 years later. Makes me want to try too. Thanks for the inspiration.
Have you ever seen the 1993 version of “The Secret Garden.” Great movie. They have a scene where after the children have planted the seeds, they show them growing underground (time-lapse animation/photography). Interesting perspective of something you never see.
I did see it Lisa, when it came out in the movies. I don’t remember that part though. Now I want to see it again. Thanks!
Well, I watched “Secret Garden” again and there was less of the root/seed photography than I remembered, but it was still a good garden movie. Best of luck to your garden!
I mostly remember the baby animals Lisa. I still want to see it again. I love the story.