God's Little Acre

Photo: flickr.com/photos/mercedesdayanara/

Any space can become a little bit of paradise with a little thought and ingenuity. A back balcony, a corner of your garden, your entire large or small garden or even a spot in a vacant lot. God’s little acre does not have to be taken literally. It does not have to be an acre. It can even be a window sill or an indoor growing area. What is a must is to be able to grow plants. It does not matter what type of plants. The very task of nurturing a sprout into a viable, living bit of green life makes the spot that holds that specimen special.

Pick your spot, if you can

The best spot will be one that receives a minimum of 4 hours of light each day. Many plants can grow in indirect light and if practical, the spot can be supplemented with artificial light. Indoors, plants can be grown entirely with artificial lights.

Once the spot is chosen, decide what you want to grow. Smaller spaces will be limited of course, but even the smallest of spaces can be adequate for many plants. Miniature succulents can grow almost anywhere with minimal attention and can actually die from too much attention. Air ferns require no attention at all and derive all of their needs from the air and light.

Do not be in a rush to stick the first thing plant that you see into the ground. Start by doing some research. Growing plants are enjoying a resurgence in popularity, with people growing more and more of their own food from fruits and vegetable to herbs and even mushrooms. People are making their own products from their produce from infused oils and vinegars to dried herbs, fruit, tomatoes and so much more. These plants are being grown completely indoors, in containers, hydroponically (in water), and other creative ways. With all of this renewed interest, there is a wealth of information on growing edible and decorative plants on line, at the library and at your local nurseries and garden centers.

Once you have decided on a specimen, decide whether to start with seed or plant. Start slowly with just a few plants and learn what works well for them. Understand how big they get and how well they grow together. In small areas, it might be best to have plants that are similar in requirements.

Even if not immediately successful, you will find that working whatever growing medium you are using is relaxing. After a while, you will look forward to getting a little dirt under your fingernails. Nurturing living things and creating living beauty is what makes the little spot so special. God’s little acre is created by effort and care. It will return far more than the effort that is put into it.