See For Myself
One of my character flaws is that I have a hard time taking advice. I feel compelled to try my way and fail before I’ll admit something shouldn’t or couldn’t be done. I suppose that explains why I am growing both trumpet vine and chameleon weed. I’m stubborn too, so although I recognize my flaw, I’m not going to change.
Hopefully, you are not like me (i.e. you are smarter!) and will find value in a few lessons I learned this winter (the hard way).
Don’t leave ceramics outside over the winter. I’ve heard this before. The freeze and thaw process will crack both glazed and unglazed pottery, blah, blah, blah-blah, blah. Still, I don’t live in Alaska, so I thought I could get away with it…and don’t ceramics stretch just a little? No. Everything left outside has shattered or at least chipped. My ghetto bird bath is toast. My pretty green square pot has broken in half. The top rim of another pottery piece cracked right off. Next winter, I need to bring them all in. At least I wasn’t stupid enough to leave my $100 ceramic birdbath outside. It spent its second winter in the garage.
Don’t let leaves sit in your pond all winter. I figured I could get away with this because my guppies were already doomed by the cold and I have no other fish in the pond. What I didn’t figure on is the lovely crop of anaerobic bacteria I’d be cultivating in the leafy soup. As I bailed out the pond this weekend, I got to enjoy its sulfuric aroma and relish the texture of slimy leaves between my fingers. It was like going to a spa in hell. Next winter, I’ll (1) clean out any debris in the fall and (2) cover the pond with a net.
Don’t leave the lids on your winter sowing containers (milk jugs and soda bottles). I left the lids on to keep the plants nice and toasty. Unfortunately, they were a little TOO toasty; I had germination in January and the seedlings died the next time the temperature took a dip. The containers should not make little greenhouses, as I had supposed. (Actually, this tip is from LAST winter, but I thought I should round out this post with an even three tips.)
Moral of the story: Don’t be a Kasmira! But then again, who would take advice from someone they were trying not to be like? I know I wouldn’t. I’d just try it my own way.
Hopefully, you are not like me (i.e. you are smarter!) and will find value in a few lessons I learned this winter (the hard way).
Don’t leave ceramics outside over the winter. I’ve heard this before. The freeze and thaw process will crack both glazed and unglazed pottery, blah, blah, blah-blah, blah. Still, I don’t live in Alaska, so I thought I could get away with it…and don’t ceramics stretch just a little? No. Everything left outside has shattered or at least chipped. My ghetto bird bath is toast. My pretty green square pot has broken in half. The top rim of another pottery piece cracked right off. Next winter, I need to bring them all in. At least I wasn’t stupid enough to leave my $100 ceramic birdbath outside. It spent its second winter in the garage.
Don’t let leaves sit in your pond all winter. I figured I could get away with this because my guppies were already doomed by the cold and I have no other fish in the pond. What I didn’t figure on is the lovely crop of anaerobic bacteria I’d be cultivating in the leafy soup. As I bailed out the pond this weekend, I got to enjoy its sulfuric aroma and relish the texture of slimy leaves between my fingers. It was like going to a spa in hell. Next winter, I’ll (1) clean out any debris in the fall and (2) cover the pond with a net.
Don’t leave the lids on your winter sowing containers (milk jugs and soda bottles). I left the lids on to keep the plants nice and toasty. Unfortunately, they were a little TOO toasty; I had germination in January and the seedlings died the next time the temperature took a dip. The containers should not make little greenhouses, as I had supposed. (Actually, this tip is from LAST winter, but I thought I should round out this post with an even three tips.)Moral of the story: Don’t be a Kasmira! But then again, who would take advice from someone they were trying not to be like? I know I wouldn’t. I’d just try it my own way.
posted by Kasmira at 13.3.07
3 Comments:
"...spa in hell" - LOL!
We don't live and learn, do we? Let's see, what broke in my yard over the winter? Everything! No, I take that back, the gazing globe seems to be intact.
Like you, I always think I can get away with it, but not this year.
I don't take advice either and so have my share of "what I shouldn't have done" stories most every spring.
It does not make any sense, but I have this incredible resistance to hauling my big clay pots in every winter. This winter, I made a half-hearted effort to wrap them in burlap ... I left the dirt in - egads - and they seem okay (although all my painting and stenciling work is starting to crumble off).
I am going to add your blog to my 'playing in the dirt' links. Thanks for the enjoyable read!
Post a Comment
<< Home