Turmeric grown at the base of my holly tree
Enriching my kitchen with chaos gardening
I unexpectedly became an authority in gardening from sharing my simple Texas garden during the pandemic in 2020. At the time, my garden was the source of serenity amidst a grueling work schedule. Then, people from all over the world began filling my DMs with questions about how to save their sick plants or how to grow carrots in their climate.
I’ve been able to give a lot of valuable advice, but the key to my success isn’t from botany books or master gardening courses. My insights and knowledge come from doing and experimenting. I try things, I learn, and I either try again or I try something else. In addition to the situation-specific advice I’ve been able to share with followers, I’ve also encouraged them to get outside and try. We can read as many books and blogs as we want, but at some point we need to put our hands in the dirt and plant something, and be open to learning from the experience regardless of what happens.
This approach is often referred to as “chaos gardening.” I had never heard of it before coming across an Instagram video about it, and it refers to a “fun and carefree approach to gardening is about letting go of the strict rules that come along with gardening and letting mother nature do the work instead."
My garden is guided by inspiration. I grow what calls to me. I grow to learn. I gardened by chaos long before I knew there was a popular term used to describe the practice, and I continue chaos gardening to this day. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that chaos gardening can produce true chaos and trouble, but it can be a great way to learn if practiced with care.
Recently, I experienced the better side of chaos gardening.
Turmeric I purchased from the store sprouted on my counter earlier this year, and I planted it at the base of my holly tree. The sprout grew into a bright green stalk of three-and-a-half feet. If I hadn’t spent as much time observing my plants as I had, I might have mistaken it for the stalk of a canna bulb and forgotten about the bright orange root in the soil.
It’s cold in Houston this week, so I spent the weekend moving tropical plants into their warm winter sanctuaries while my wife harvested various herbs we had growing. We came together for the final step in our freeze preparation: Harvesting the turmeric! It came out of the ground easily. The single piece of root I planted had grown considerably, quadrupling in size.
I cut the stalk off, washed the roots, and returned it to my counter while we decide how we will use this gift of the garden.
My handful of turmeric reminds me of why I garden. I didn’t plant my turmeric with expectations of what would happen; I wanted to see how it would grow in the shade of my tree, covered in soil I’ve spent years nourishing with compost and gratitude.
I’ve worked to foster a place where life can thrive, not only for myself and my belly but the birds, worms, and even the pesky squirrels. This has led to conditions that support the flourishing of all things, including a single stalk of turmeric that began from a piece of root purchased in the grocery store.
If you have been wanting to grow more plants in the space available to you and feel overwhelmed, I hope you consider these lessons from my garden & my turmeric:
By tending to all the land in your care, you create an environment where life is set up to flourish
It’s important to try things without expectations so every experience enriches your understanding
You’ll be most successful when you work with Mother Nature
Have fun
I’m grateful for the warming turmeric I have to enjoy this winter, and I’ll enjoy it with appreciation for the time it spent growing in my garden. Do you have any suggestions of how we should use it? I welcome your thoughts!
Allow me to inspire your team this February with an interactive POTTING WORKSHOP focused on well-being & community!
Join me in SEATTLE February 22-23 for The North West Flower and Garden Festival! I’ll be leading and participating in events throughout the weekend.
For more personal reflection, check out my guided journal SEASONS OF GROWTH: A JOURNAL FOR WELL-BEING INSPIRED BY TREES
Read my personal growth book inspired my plants HOW TO GROW: NURTURE YOUR GARDEN, NURTURE YOURSELF
This is fantastic! I love your pergola and your surprise Turmeric!
The turmeric’s beautiful! I wonder if it could be used like fresh ginger…. I make a pesto like green sauce with cilantro, arugula, scallions, fresh chilies, ginger, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Either replacing the ginger or adding it in addition to it might be interesting!