My very small winter ledge garden. Definite Garden Blues.
Do you have GSS, not to be confused with GAS? I have that too, but I will leave that for another “why I became a vegetarian” post. I suffer from GSS or mostly known as the gardening blues. I decided to give my own aliment an acronym, which means suffering from Gardening Sadness Syndrome. Or maybe I should change it to GWS, which means Gardening Withdrawal Syndrome. This syndrome is not to be confused with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder,) but a very close cousin.
In fact, USA Today reports that 3 out of 4 dig gardening. So, I bet lots of people are suffering like me. Here are some of the symptoms: Do you long for your garden? Do you find your thoughts drifting towards happy times in the garden with your bee friends? Do you hate having to go to the supermarket for fresh produce? Can I see a show of hands? Wow, so many hands, even ones with trowels and shovels.
Now, I realize that some of you are lucky dogs who get to garden year round. This time of year us northerners can’t put a shovel into the ground. Nada. No how. Not happening. My beds are frozen solid. I just stare at them and whimper. All I have is a few not looking too good cuttings on my window sill. (See picture above.)
The Seeds Catalogs are a coming
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds Catalog. Amazing!
To make matters worse, I received in the mail a beautiful Baker Creek Heirloom’s seed catalog. So beautiful that you could use it as a coffee table book. I am serious. I thumb through the pages like a young boy thumbs through Playboy. Each page is more amazing then the next. I could site the stats of the alluring vegetables just like a young boy can recite Miss January’s likes and dislikes. You have never lived until you see how sexy a melon could look. Miss January has absolutely nothing on these vegetables.
But as I sadly thumb through the catalog, this just adds to the gardening blues. I long to touch dirt, add beds, sprinkle coffee grounds on my beds, yell at the slugs and the rabbits, and marvel at the bees. How many of you die hard gardeners feel the same way?
By the way, for a good list of organic seed catalogs by state see Mother Earth News’ round-up. Mother knows.
Now do you understand GSS?
In fact this little boy from KitchenGardens.org discovered how to garden in the snow. I was impressed. Watch this winter gardening video and let me know if you are willing to take the challenge.
What can you do to cure GSS or the Gardening Blues?
Since I haven’t set up my 501c3 not for profit corporation yet, here are some ideas how to help those who suffer from bouts of GSS, GWS, or Gardening Blues. You take your pick the name of the affliction.
- Buy your gardening loved one a gardening gift. Gardener’s Supply (my favorite) has wonderful gardening tools and items that all gardeners would love. I am kind of a groupie. They are having an amazing sale. Every gardener needs a potato grow bag or two. They are like chips. You can’t only have one. You can grow almost anything in these bags. Peppers, beets, potatoes, etc. (hence the name.) Or who doesn’t need amazing tomato cages? I have fourteen. (Don’t gasp. You know how obsessed I am.)
- Indoor plants are beautiful, but make sure they can be neglected in the summer and they will be okay. All hell breaks loose at my house when it is gardening season. Nothing. I repeat nothing gets done indoors when it is gardening season. Can you relate? Want that burst of color in those dreary months? Thought so. Check out Gardener’s Supply’s three months of bulbs.
- Visit an indoor arboretum. Although not indoors, the Brooklyn Botanical Garden even has a winter tour to help lift your spirits. Drink in that Planet goodness. (Here is a list of arboretums to get you started on your journey.)
- Send a subscription of Organic Gardening, Mother Earth News, Fine Gardening, or Herb Companion to your loved one or yourself. I love these magazines and hide in a bathroom to pour over their contents. I can’t get enough. You can buy all or some through the GT store!
- Check out gardening and landscaping books at the local library or see if anyone is swapping any online. Good way to give your unread books to someone who will read them. Check out all of my swapping/bartering/exchanging ideas here on how to secure those gardening books for free.
- Buy an Aero Garden where you can grow lettuce and herbs indoors year round. I don’t have one (hint hint) but my friend does and he loves it.
- Yoga will lift anyone spirits. In fact Gaiam has a PVC free Eco Yoga mat! Now that is what I am talking about.
- Give the gift of beauty to help rejuvenate the soul. Some ideas that I like (hint hint) Pangea Egyptian Geranium w/ Adzuki Bean & Cranberry Facial Scrub, Indian jasmine isla das rocas revitalizing sea salt scrub, and Trilogy Aromatic Body Treatment Oil. Nirvana.
Organic Gardening
- Try these herb pick me ups.
- When all else fails, there is always chocolate. See my organic chocolate reviews. Rosemary and chocolate is to die for.
Give me a bone, People. Answer the Questions.
- Do you suffer from GSS?
- So, what idea do you have to help either get yourself or a friend out of the gardening blues?
- What idea do you have to say goodbye to the winter blues? Do you have a quick pick me up?
- Am I the only one who thinks looking at seeds catalogs is totally erotic?
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Joe Huang says
December 24, 2010 at 9:19 amhaha, I finally understand this GSS thing. It took a while from me. I get for the sentence “Do you find your thoughts drifting towards happy times in the garden with your bee friends?”.
When being with green plants, we’re happy, aren’t we? This world has so many buildings & glasses. They are solid & cold.
Actually, I have a little plant on my desk. I love it very much.