Gardener's Bells...

    March 20th, 2012...Vernal Equinox...the first day of spring!
        Yeah!  It's the first day of spring!  I just have to spray paint something for the garden.  Early mornings begin to sound of clay pots clanking together here at Johnson House.  Call it the sounding of gardener's bells, if you will.  Finally, it is warm enough to be puttering outside in the garden.  Scraping copious amounts of dried leaves out of flower beds becomes a delight of discovery.  Wonderful little green plants are pushing their way toward the light and fresh air.  
          There is something satisfying about lining up my collection of clay pots.  Even thought it was not a brutally cold winter, some of the older, weaker pots have fallen apart.  Shards of terra cotta sit in small piles, here and there.  Useful to the end, the remains of deteriorated pots will be crushed to use in other pots for drainage materials.  As I glanced up, I spotted the terra cotta wind chime I had created many seasons ago.  Now its lightly tinkling sound was part of the ambiance of the gardens.  Note to self...create more flowerpot wind chimes.  A friend from my past had given me the metal butterflies from a broken wind chime she was throwing away.  I tied thin ribbons to the butterflies and strung them through a plastic disc, then through the hold in the pot.  The wind chime I created has lasted for several years as it braved many winter and brutal wind storms.  My next flowerpot wind chime will have old forks and spoons dangling from it.  Another warm day project!
      Older terra cotta pots take on a special patina that is most appealing.  The chemistry from the soil and water soak into the walls of the porous clay pots to change its color over time.  I scrub the interiors of the pots every spring.  Using simple dish detergent is adequate to the cause of killing off potentially harmful bacteria and mold that could destroy any plant making its home in that pot.  I don't wash the exterior of the pot as some have turned green over time.  I like tht mossy green color.  One way to "age" a new pot is to paint the exterior with a slurry mixture of moss and buttermilk.  Use a blender that you wont' use for anything else to mix the concoction.  Paint the exterior of the pot and set it aside to "cure" for about a week before using it for planting.  
      Stenciling herb and flower names, or prints, onto the rims of pots is a fun and rewarding project, too.  It gives an otherwise plain pot a bit of character as it sports a special green treasure.
      Gosh, all this fun with pots, and I haven't even planted anything in them yet!  What a great way to usher in spring!