Sprucing Up For Tu B\'Shevat

SPRUCING UP FOR TU B’SHEVAT

HOPEFULNESS

When you come to the land and you plant any tree, you shall treat its fruit as forbidden; for three years it will be forbidden and not eaten. In the fourth year, all of its fruit shall be sanctified to praise the L-RD. In the fifth year, you may eat its fruit.  (Leviticus 19:23-25)

According to the Mishnah (Rosh HaShannah 1:1) there are 4 New Years and one of them marks the new year for trees.  Tu B’Shevat has gone through many incarnations: an agricultural marking day to know which trees must be tithed, a mystical ascent thorough the levels of the soul, an ecological observance, and more.  You might remember the Blue Boxes which collected coins so trees could be planted in Israel. 

Tu B’Shevat (this year on the 3^rd of February) marks the climatic change in Israel from the hard rains, which would wash away any newly planted seeds, to the soft rains which assure germination and a healthy crop.

This is a time for hopefulness.   Just as the season turns from harsh, damaging rains to gentle nurturing rains, we can look for ways to mark that change in our own lives. 

To mark the change that will allow new growth one can plant parsley.  Why parsley?  Seeds planted now, in the chill of winter, should yield sprouts that will be ready for the seder plate when Passover arrives.  How to grow Parsley indoors:

1.     Soak the seeds in warm water for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight.  Change the water frequently.

2.     Sow the seeds in a small pot using a seed starter mix or a soil less medium.  

3.     Keep them evenly moist and maintain soil temperature of about 70° F. Expect sprouts in about 14 days.

4.     To encourage sturdy seedling stems set fluorescent lights two inches above the newly opened leaves. Adjust the lights to maintain this distance above the top leaves of the plants as they grow for 4 to 6 weeks.