Deciding What to Plant

My heart dances with excitement when buds sprout on stark branches and spring spreads the golden dust of life to encourage the dormant vegetation. Sometimes, when I study my gardens and think about where to dig and what to plant, I start itching to get my hands in the soil and even think I can actually see things growing.

Going to a plant nursery or garden festival makes my head spin like when I dig in the Bible or visit a library or large book store. With so many choices, it’s difficult to know where to start. These decisions can hold us up or cause us to hesitate before we begin planting, studying or reading.

Vegetables, Flowers, or Both

Like choosing Bible studies and books, there are many options for planting which makes it hard to narrow down the selections:

• Seeds
• Saplings
• Bulbs
• Mature Plants
• Sun Loving
• Shade Loving
• Sun & Shade Loving
• Drought Tolerant
• Moisture Dependent
• Color Choices
• Styles & Types
• Zone Categories
• Annuals vs. Perennials
• And much more…

My garden decisions this year were influenced by a verse from one of my favorite Scripture passages:

• “Pleasant to the Sight”
• “Good for Food”

It occurred to me that these could include flowers and vegetables. So, I’m planting both—something pretty and something edible.

Containers or In Ground

Where you plant will determine how much and what you plant. The ground can give you a permanent, larger space while container gardens provide versatile options that can easily be changed or relocated. When in doubt, research is a good starting place.

Amount of Care Required

Taking into account how much work is required is equally important.  Gardening time may be limited because of family responsibilities, work schedules and home projects. I’ve overplanted in the past and couldn’t keep up with the watering, weeding, pruning, deadheading and feeding. Eventually, my gardens died slow deaths while my investments wilted with them.

          It’s not wise to take on more than we can handle. Why plow and plant an acre if we aren’t able to can or sell the produce. Sharing is nice, but we shouldn’t plant more than we can manage if we’re short on resources. A few tomato plants can easily provide plenty for an average family, and a small, simple garden is better than a large, neglected one.

Garden Plans

I’m pretty sure God didn’t have to give much thought to what He planted since He created every living thing, but planning a garden can be tough on new gardeners. I’m still learning what thrives and survives.

No matter what we’re planning to plant, study in God’s Word, or choose to read, we still have a decision to make—what do we desire to reap from our efforts?

What would you like to harvest from studying, reading, and gardening this year?

Praying for you as we grow together,

Smiles, BRC