Our Desert Gold peach tree has set fruit, not so much this year as some years, but it still needs to be thinned in order to yield tasty, reasonably sized fruit. As I've been working on that today, I also notice that some of the branches have died, so I will also do some pruning to remove the deadwood.
The recent rain has caused weeds to grow along with the vegetables and fruits in our garden. This time of year it is a daily battle to keep them under control. They seem to sprout up and grow a foot high overnight, and I try to get them out before they become fruitful and multiply. At least the moist soil makes them easier to pull out.
We planted two more fruit trees yesterday, Minnie Lee and Royal Lee cherries. Cherries are one thing that historically haven't been possible to grow here, because they require more chilling hours than we usually get. These are new cultivars that have only recently been appearing in nurseries, and they supposedly only require 200-300 chilling hours, which is about what we get. You need both varieties for cross-pollination; they aren't self-fruitful. We're also using them to experiment with a new growing method, high-density planting, in which you plant two similar trees in the same planting hole.
Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent on the Christian calendar. I didn't grow up in a liturgical church, so my take on this season is probably a little different. I don't think so much of "what should I give up for Lent?" as I think of thinning, weeding, and planting.
Are there things in my life that need to be thinned? Many things that are desirable and good are best enjoyed in moderation. Trying to do too many good things at once may result in none of the things being done well, or even burnout.
Are there things in my life that need to be weeded? There are some things that don't belong in the garden of my life, and they deprive the things I want to see growing of water, nutrients, and sunshine. Ignore them too long, and they will spread and become more difficult to remove.
Are there things in my life that I want to plant? I've always found Lent a pretty good time to try out a new spiritual practice. If I try something and find that it brings me closer to God, then I try to make it a permanent part of my life. If not, I don't feel the need to continue it for an arbitrary period of time. Sometimes my gardening experiments don't work so well, either.
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