FOR SOMEONE WHO SAYS HE DOESN’T GARDEN, doodler Andre Jordan seems to have all the right tools on hand nonetheless. I grow suspicious; you? Thanks, Andre, for one of my favorite garden doodles–er, garden cartoons. And of course the alcohol is used only for disinfectant purposes.
I WATCHED A ZOOM lecture the other day that really put into words a lot of the ways my own deepening understanding of ecology is shaking up the way I practice horticulture—from spring cleanup, right on to the last chore of the active year. The lecturer was Rebecca McMackin, director of horticulture for Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York City, where she leads the team that manages 85 acres of diverse parkland with a central focus on habitat creation of woodlands, wetlands, and meadows to build soils and support birds, butterflies, and other organisms.
We talked about the dynamic tactics they use and when and why–a whole different approach to spring cleanup, where the life cycles of animals (from insects on up) dictate what happens when, garden maintenance-wise. Like why some things don’t get cut back, and others that are still seed-laden when they do have their seeds collected and set aside, then returned to the spot after whatever cleanup is needed there.
(Stream it below, read the illustrated transcript or subscribe free.)
LOL! Wonderful!
Cameron
Where is the hoe?
You forgot the Lounge Chair, after three bottles of alcohol it will be needed.
Have a good day,
John
The last one could no doubt be used after the first one!
Good morning.
smiles at Margaret innocently
wonders if electric blanket should have been added to list of essential garden tools.
shrugs
sits at kitchen table. puts on bobble hat. Unbuttons velvet jacket. Begins to draw visually impaired moth for the BBC.
Welcome, Dave. I definitely think it’s best not to drink before using sharp objects, though I do my most confident and inspired pruning after one glass of wine: not tipsy, but loosened up a bit, so I don’t overthink. Hope to see you again soon.
Andre, is there no central heating in Nebraska? (I know there’s none in England, brrrr…., but shall I send you my spare heating pad by Express Mail?)
Is the alcohol de-‘natured’?
LOL! How did he know what my tool shed looks like?
Welcome, Susan. Andre has this sixth sense about us somehow (or he is a lurker, not certain which). Come again soon.
Now as for Carol, Millie, well she insists on being sensible and always having a hoe on hand. Or 20. The Queen of the Hoedown, that Carol.
Carol’s cracking me up as much as Andre’s spot on drawing!
And, you can recycle the processed alcohol into the compost pile
Welcome, Chris. And yes, indeedy, you can do that (though I don’t), to add important Nitrogen in liquid form. Thanks for visiting, and do stop by again soon.
One look at these essential tools makes me even more anxious for spring!
Where are the cheese and crackers?
if it is tequila, then the worms can go into the alcohol, more efficient that way
damn I forgot the cheese.
Chris: I was always told to get the snails drunk and to (as my mother would shout from the kitchen window when I was a child) ‘LEAVE THE WORMS ALONE!’
The hammock…where’s the hammock?
Thursday is fast becoming my favorite day of the week. Thank you, Andre. Thank you, Margaret.
…Out here in Colorado (and for ye in Nebraska, too, no?) we must add straw hat or bedecked-out sunbonnet as essential garden gear. Not only does it protect from the sun and glare, but one can certainly hide one’s flask under it or use it to keep bugs off the cheese plate. Cheers!
I am all for drunk snails, the little pests.
I had a bad experience with alcohol, fingers, and pruning shears, but thankfully I’m well over it.
I like to end a long day in the garden with a nice glass of wine or a cold beer. It helps take the edge off after I push myself too hard. MUCH better than ibuprofen.
Welcome, Scott. Sorry for the delay in saying hello; your comment went temporarily to spam, and who knows why? Thanks for joining us, and here’s to another season of days ended with that cold beer or glass of wine. Cheers!
Yes,a stiff glass of wine is just what I need after discovering that the malevolent kitten who lives downstairs has been defecating all over my freshly-dug carrot bed! Toxoplasmosis anyone?
http://www.fennelandfern.blogspot.com
Welcome, Fennel and Fern. Cats do have the notion that garden=litter box, that’s for sure. Disturbing, and apparently impossible to direct them otherwise. Ugh. Hope to see you again (and that the luck shifts on the cat score).
Very cute, although I agree a place for napping would be needed with the addition of the alcohol. Perhaps a chamomile bed would be nice.
Robin Wedewer
National Gardening Examiner
Very funny, Andre & Margaret!
Alcohol seems to be essential in Austin. Fellow gardenblogger Vertie even uses the empties to improve her garden.
http://vertaustin.blogspot.com/2008/08/you-can-stop-drinking-now.html
Annie at the Transplantable Rose