As I write this article, the weather outside reflects the extreme cold of the Rocky Mountain West. And while our gardens are “dead” and dormant, I’ve learned that this is the best time for pruning and restructuring. I am not only referring to fruit trees, but our gardens as a whole. In fact, we can apply these lessons to our lives as well.
It is well known that Winter is the best time to prune. One of the many reasons is that, in the absence of foliage, the gardener can see the branches clearly, in order to prune for healthy structure. Good structure leads to a strong framework in the tree, and best of all, high quality fruit.
Keeping this in mind, we can apply this understanding to our garden landscape as a whole. While the garden is essentially shut down for the winter, now is the time to see clearly the systems we have in place, and plan the changes we might deem necessary. (It is harder to do this while we are working hard to keep it going in the warm season.) Now is a great time to ask questions like, “Am I working hard to keep up a yard that doesn’t meet my values and desires?” For example, many of us may be environmentally conscious about saving water and not using chemicals, yet we slave away for a lawn that needs both (or at minimum, lots of water).
Do you prefer the idea of xeriscaping, or a low-water, low-maintenance yard that is stunning and botanical all at the same time? How about the idea of growing more of your own food? These things are very possible, and the first step is to simply plan. Last Spring, my neighbor hired a friend and I to transform her suffering lawn into a gorgeous, floral, low-water, low-maintenance yard, and she has been very happy with the results. The first step, however, was to sit down with her and ask these planning and restructuring questions. (I can help you on your way as well, as I love to do for others, so feel free to contact me at evan@exactinventory.com if you have any questions.)
Finally, it is worth knowing that these principles are valuable in our lives. We often run a chaotic race, and in the fast-paced heat of it, we don’t see the important restructuring changes that should be made. Our “branches” run into so many areas that we can’t possibly produce good fruit, at least for long. Perhaps stop, observe, and ask the difficult questions about why you do all that you do, and whether it truly accomplishes the noble things you desire. Some cuts and changes may be necessary, but the lasting results are so worth it!
