Just as in spiritual life, chaos in the garden leads to overwhelm.
Chodesh Tov, and welcome to the month of Iyar.
Last month, in Nisan, we prepared our soil — literal and spiritual — to receive the seeds of liberation. We retold the story of our ancestors’ escape from Mitzrayim (Egypt, the Narrow Place) and celebrated the gift of freedom. But now what?
This month, our ancestors find themselves wandering the wilderness — untethered, uncertain and maybe even afraid. In bondage, we knew the structure of our days, where our next meal was coming from, what was expected of us. Now, we are tasked with unlearning enslavement, relearning how to trust ourselves and each other, and we must begin the long journey toward purpose and promise.
That kind of growth can feel disorienting. But our tradition offers us a tool: the practice of counting the Omer — the 49 days of intentional reflection between the second night of Pesach and Shavuot. When we feel lost, we can ground ourselves by counting, reciting the daily blessing and meditating on that day’s theme. The Omer becomes our map through the wilderness.
It’s not so different in the garden.
The soil is ready. The days are warm. It’s tempting to plant everything, everywhere all at once. But, just as in spiritual life, chaos in the garden leads to overwhelm. By August, we might be wading through overgrown beds, unsure what’s a weed and what’s a veggie, lost again in the wilderness and wondering how to reach the tomatoes.
Thankfully, a few thoughtful guidelines can transform your growing space into something bountiful, beautiful, and actually manageable. Here’s how.
Paths, Rows, Sacred Space
In painting, negative space — the blank areas — is just as essential as brushstrokes. It gives the eye a place to rest and helps us make sense of the whole image. The same principle applies in the garden: space matters.
Do you have a map of your garden? A simple sketch can help you design space not just for your plants, but for yourself — to move, to breathe, to grow.
For in-ground beds, mark their dimensions and orientation, and leave 1-2 feet of path between them so you can move and work comfortably. In raised beds and in-ground rows, consider the spacing between each plant and between each row. Each plant calls for something different, and you can find recommendations for between-row and in-row spacing on your seed packets.
A suggestion from one chaotic gardener to another: Follow the directions! Not only will this keep your growing space manageable and enjoyable to work in, but your plants will have enough room above and below the soil to grow to their full potential. Proper spacing leads to healthier plants, less disease and a garden that doesn’t feel like it’s trying to eat you by midsummer.
Sacred space also means support. Set up trellises and stakes now for vining and tall plants like peas, cucumbers and tomatoes. Giving them a designated home keeps them healthy, boosts airflow and prevents fungal issues — plus, it saves your sanity when harvesting. Heavy flowering plants and fruit-bearing branches need sturdy supports, too, so they don’t snap in summer storms.
And, yes — sometimes sacred space requires hard choices. Thinning is one of them. It can feel harsh to pluck out healthy seedlings, but spacing is essential. If your peas need to be thinned from every inch to every two inches, do it. Ultimately, you’re creating conditions for more life to thrive.
The same goes for pruning tomatoes. Removing “sucker” shoots may feel counterintuitive, especially when they’re lush, green and flowering. But by directing the plant’s energy toward its fruiting branches, you’ll get healthier plants and more abundant harvests. Sometimes, structure requires sacrifice. Even in the garden.
The Map of the Omer
I sometimes wonder — would it have helped our ancestors to have a map through the wilderness?
In gardening, I take comfort in clear guidelines. In our spiritual lives, we can do the same. The Omer is that map — a spiritual framework to carry us from liberation to revelation.
Each day, we reflect on a pairing of Sephirot, the Divine qualities that together make up the Tree of Life. Over seven weeks, we explore the lower seven Sephirot — a new one each week — and each day, we reflect on how one interacts with another.
Take the 10th day of the Omer: Tiferet (harmony, balance, beauty) within Gevurah (strength, boundaries, discernment). This day invites us to explore how balance exists within boundaries — how harmony emerges when we honor structure. Just like in the garden, where rows and paths and pruning make room for beauty and abundance.
So, count your days. Count your seedlings. Draw your maps. Tend to the sacred space — within and without. Growth, after all, isn’t just about expansion. It’s about intention.
Happy planting, and happy counting.