Potting Up

I love listening to my daughters talk to the seedlings in the basement. They talk to our baby plants the way most people would talk to a baby human, all high-pitched and squeaking and cooing.


"Oh, hello there little baby plant. How are you doing today? Oh look at you, getting so big and strong!"


"I'm going to give you a new home today, little tomato plant, because you are soooo big now."



"Here you go. This is your new home. Are you cozy in there? Such a good little tomato plant you are."



"Now, hold very very still, and I'm going to give you more soil, so your roots can grow bigger and stronger. There you go, now you're all set. Good little tomato plant, you keep growing now, okay? And some day we will put you in our garden and you can see what it's like to live outside like a big, grown-up tomato plant. Won't that be exciting, little tomato plant?"