The beginner gardening workshop series came to a close last week, and the best thing I gained from it was learning the importance of soil. It's all about the soil as master gardener Mark Rice explained. All of the activity that happens underground affects directly how your plants will mature and thrive.  The healthier life under there, including worms, and vital nutrients, the better. So, as I amended my patch of soil where last summer's tomato plants stood, I decided to transplant my cucumber seedlings there.  I have heard so much about the fragile nature of cucumbers, how difficult it can be to grow them.  They need soil to gain a certain warmth to get started. Then they need to be tended so as not to get rotted or eaten by pests. Without getting too caught up with the fear of failure I just remembered what Mark said: So much of gardening is experiment, you have to be willing to fail and start again over and over. That is the nature (and fun) of the gardening process, rather than reality of outcomes. Slowly,  I turned my peet pots upside down and started transplanting  my healthy green seedlings into mother earth. I realized this most ethereal, fresh, sweet fragrance coming from the roots(or sprouts). Better than any perfume I've ever tasted. As if those vibrant leaves were fed by the roots concentrated with cucumber essence. If only I could bottle that!  I put down about 8 plants in the patch. Crossing my fingers they will take off. But I will have to remember that Buddhist principle of "non-attachment" to get through this season of planting...