Building ideas: gardening

Showing posts with label gardening. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

The New Manliness Machismo through Dirty Diapers and Gardening

Just this week, I read an article in Newsweek that asked a very interesting question: “what’s the matter with men?” For several years, the media has declared that men are “in decline.” In 2000 Christina Hoff Sommers pronounced that there is a “war against boys,” claiming that the American education system puts down boys. This summer, The Atlantic’s Hanna Rosin bluntly stated that “The End of Men” is here.

The articles are a reaction to a slate of new research that shows men slipping on a variety of societal measures. This year was the first time in U.S. history where women have become the majority of the workforce. For every two men who get a college degree, there are three women who receive diplomas. In big cities, single, young, childless women earn 8% more than men on average. Those trends have been exacerbated by the Great Recession, which gutted male-dominated industries like construction and manufacturing. The statistical areas where men clearly lead women—“alcoholism, suicide, homelessness, violence, criminality”—paint a grim picture of the modern man (Newsweek). Hanna Rosin poses the profound question, “What if modern, postindustrial society is simply better suited to women?”

So what’s a guy to do? Here I would like to present a few suggestions. Of course, I am no sociologist, anthropologist, or minister—I have no particular qualifications to diagnose this malady. And to be honest, no one has ever mistaken me for a lumberjack, an oil rigger, or a cowboy. The only thing I can offer is a few reflections from my own recent life experience. I’ve discovered a resurgence of masculinity through two traditionally feminine arts: parenting and gardening.

This month my wife and I had our first child, a son. Like all new parents, our first month has been a flurry of dirty diapers, sleepless nights, endless feedings, and shattered schedules. My life as I knew it four weeks ago has been flipped upside down, macerated, and then steamrolled by our own 8 pound wrecking ball. But in the midst of this chaos, I’ve felt a curious resurgence of masculinity. This was initially puzzling to me. After all, my last month has been a litany of domestic chores: wiping bottoms, cooking meals, washing clothes, and generally keeping up the house. As my wife recovers from a complicated delivery, my role at home has exploded, and I look a heck of a lot more like Mr. Mom than Mr. T. If anything, I expected this new role to feel more feminine, a softer version of my former self. Instead, I feel more like a dude than I’ve felt in years. Why?

At its heart, masculinity is really about utility, potency, resourcefulness, and controlled physicality. In caring for my child, doing my job, and taking care of the home, I feel a renewed sense of vigor and usefulness that I have not felt before. Earlier this week, I stood at the stove making a roux for a gumbo with one arm, and holding my infant with the other. All the time I was completely aware that I had become a feminine stereotype. Yet my son slept comfortably, and my gumbo was a total success. Instead of feeling girly, I felt competent, creative, and handy.

This revelation has made me somewhat skeptical of the resurgence of retro-manliness. Advertising and entertainment has exploited modern man’s angst by returning to dusty old narratives of masculinity—the rugged outdoorsman (Marlboro Man), the urban gangster (hip hop music), the retro corporate guy (Don Draper)—but these images miss the point. “The truth is, it’s not how men style themselves that will make them whole again—it’s what they do with their days,” says Newsweek writers Romano and Dokoupil.

The goal of feminism was to gain equality for women by pushing them into roles traditionally reserved for men. This has largely been successful. And for the most part, women have not had to abandon femininity. Why shouldn’t the same be true with men? The path to the new manliness is not to retreat to the woods or hide inside one’s tool shed; instead, we should start by engaging in the home. We need a definition of macho that includes home-making as well as home improvement projects. This shouldn’t be too hard, as the expectation for fathers is still sadly low. Just last week, my father-in-law came to town to visit the baby and remarked, “you’re a great dad” simply because I held the baby for about an hour. Would he have come to the same conclusion if my wife were holding him at that moment? I doubt it. When it comes to the home, there’s much room for men to grow.

WWII poster promoting manly gardening.
From the National Agricultural Library.

Like parenting, gardening is the other odd place I always feel like a dude. Of course, this too is at odds with the traditional image. Yard work (particularly anything involving power tools) was for men, while ornamental gardening typically is left to women. My friend from college jokingly calls me a “pansy-ass flower guy” whenever he refers to my profession. Yet my experience runs entirely counter to this stereotype. Gardening to me is the most creative, physically engaging, and potent activities I know. Breaking the ground, creating spaces, working outside . . . these activities are that perfect combination of physical and mental challenge.

In essence, the point of rediscovering masculinity (or femininity for that matter) is not just about gender identity; it is an attempt to rediscover our humanity in a postmodern age. For me, the antidote to the hundreds of hours a month I spend in a cubicle staring at a computer screen is engaging in my family or my garden. These are the activities that make me feel not only masculine, but human. My theologian friend reminds me that the etymology of the word “human” is the same as the word for “humus” or dirt. We are meant to be in relationship with each other; we are meant to be in relationship with the earth.

Monday, March 3, 2014

Best Houseplants for Indoor Gardening

Its a rainy day in March and I have been wanting to do a little segment on indoor houseplants, so it seemed to be a good time to do so. While waiting for my outdoor plants to come to life here in the northeast I have been paying a little extra attention to my indoor plants in anticipation of the grander scheme outside. Lets discuss some of the indoor plants that I have found to supply great pleasure at a low a maintenance cost.

A colorful versatile plant in the philodendron family is Golden Philodendron or Philodendron Brasil. It displays variegated heart-shaped leaves and is a climber that is happy as either a stand-alone piece or mixed with other plants. Philodendron Brasil prefers bright-diffused indirect light and moderately moist soil with good drainage. It is for the most part carefree and is a nice addition to the indoor garden.

The next candidate is Clivia minata. This beauty originates from South Africa and is known as "bush lily". Its elongated dark green foliage alone makes it an attractive houseplant and in spring and fall the plant produces beautiful yellow-orange flowers that last for several weeks. Clivia prefers low to medium light and well-drained soil. Allow drying out in between watering and water weekly during the growing months and less in winter. Fertilize when blooms are produced. This plant prefers to be root bound.

Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonemas) is a tropical evergreen known for its variegated green and white foliage and easy maintenance. It prefers to be grown in low light in a moist, well-drained soil. Aglaonemas produce white flowers occasionally in spring and summer that are better to be cut off because they do drain energy from the plant. Chinese’s Evergreen is carefree and makes a nice house-warming gift for a low light area.

The next beauty is Croton, a multi-colored foliage plant for higher light areas. Croton is native to Southeast Asia and was once only grown outdoors. They have increased in popularity indoors because of their beautiful orange-green-yellow foliage. Croton grows best in a southwestern window in a moderately moist soil with high humidity. When kept in higher light these beauties will put on a show of color!

Another favorite indoor plant is Spathiphyllum or Peace Lily. Spathiphyllum prefers to be grown in a moderately moist-well drained soil in diffused sunlight preferably in a northern or eastern window. Peace Lily are easy to grow, have elongated glossy dark green foliage and frequently display their lovely white flowers that are formed from the leaf stalk of the plant. Spathiphyllum can be grown as a stand-alone piece or can be combined with other low light plants to make a lovely display.

Another plant in the Philodendron family is Philodendron Xanadu. Xanadu is a compact grower displaying medium-large finger-like leaves in the form of a full clumping plant. Philodendron Xanadu prefers to be root bound and grown in bright indirect light in a moist well-drained soil. When leaves yellow, simply pull them out by the stalk and new shoots and leaves will unfold to keep the plant full and attractive. Thumbs up for this one for it is low maintenance!

Another very low maintenance plant is Snake Plant or Mother-in-Laws Tongue. This easy to grow plant is very versatile, can be grown in low light to full light conditions in a slightly moist, well-drained soil. This plant is about as low maintenance as you can get and has been a popular houseplant favorite for years. Under the right conditions it will last for many years.

Jade Plant (Crassula argentea) is a popular succulent plant that displays small pink-white flowers if grown in a southern window. Jade prefers to be grown in bright direct light as in a southern or western window. Crassula argentea does not require much water and should only be watered when dry to the touch. When cared for properly this showpiece will last for many years and become a valued family member!

Here is the newest addition to my houseplant family. It is Zamioculcas Zamiifolia (nicknamed ZZ plant). It thrives in nearly any lighting condition except darkness. I have mine in indirect sun and it is doing just great. As far as watering is concerned, Zamioculcas Zamiifolia is a tuber plant that stores its water intake. It is best to let its soil completely dry out and then water thoroughly. Zamioculcas Zamiifolia does not require much feeding. Feed four times a year with a balanced liquid fertilizer at half strength.

There are many wonderful houseplants to light up your home on those "rainy days". These are just a few that can bring some enjoyment to your indoor garden! Hope you enjoyed and Happy Gardening!

For more on houseplants visit Houseplants for Colorful Foliage & Winter Blooms.