Roots: Key to Sustainable Flourishing
Focus
Anytime we start something new, we must give our attention and our energy to what will sustain long-term flourishing, cutting back early growth that detracts from enduring success. Rushing too quickly to fruitfulness will actually weaken our whole strategy for sustainability in life and leadership. It can be agonizing to patiently wait for the “roots” of an endeavor to be established, but it must be done. It doesn’t help that roots are not visible and are particularly susceptible to unseen forces.
My baby vines are finally pushing out lots of leaves, and some of the stronger vines are even sporting a few inflorescences, the beginnings of fruit! We planted 24 vines on our hill a couple years ago, and it’s been a slow start.
I’m not much of a farmer, so I hired Juan*, someone who works with vines all day, to help me with the process. He told me he found some Cabernet grape starts somewhere, and when I asked him where, he laughed and said they were “leftovers.” I decided not to ask any more questions, but we started with “leftovers.” Enough said! We (well, he!) started by measuring out a 4’ X 4’ grid and deciding where the trellis stakes and water system would go for our three rows of eight vines. Then, he dug the holes for the baby vines, throwing in some white powder to help break up the surrounding soil. He staked the tiny vines and covered them with white boxes that reminded me of milk cartons. I’d seen this in other vineyards but never understood their purpose. Juan said that in addition to water and nutrients, baby vines need protection and heat, just like human babies. So, the cartons keep the heat inside to, basically, incubate the vines.
*not his real name
Several months later, we peeked into the cartons and noticed some of the babies were not growing well. We wondered if it was the soil or the water or maybe too much shade? After a year of trying to keep these few vines alive, we realized that moles were the culprit, probably chewing through the roots as they traveled their underground highway across our yard. Ugh! That set those vines back a year, as we had to replant new vines. In order to keep this from happening again, we decided to dig a two-foot trench around the entire vineyard where we buried a vertical wire mesh wall to keep the moles out. So far, this strategy has worked, and the new baby vines, now two years old, are starting to grow.
This winter, we added compost and planted a cover crop to amend the soil. We have pruned each vine way back a couple of times to push all the energy into the roots. We have watered… and watered… and watered… and now we have a few vines that are mature enough to push out a bunch of leaves and even some potential fruit. This means the roots are growing stronger! There is so much energy coming from the roots that some of the vines are even pushing out leaves at the base of the trunk, where they won’t be useful. If you’ve ever watched a two-year-old child running around, you know how that energy sometimes gets misdirected as they crash into other kids or coffee tables!
Just like we train kids to channel their energy into the kind of play that doesn’t destroy things, we must train the baby vines. This week, I’m cutting off the suckers at the base of the vines that detract from healthy, focused growth. The roots will then be able to direct their energy to where the shoots and leaves will eventually produce fruit.
Speaking of fruit, I’ll also be cutting off the tiny inflorescences that have popped out of the more mature vines. Sadly, no fruit will hang on these vines this year. If we let fruit hang on the vine this year, the roots will have to work extra hard, and they’re simply not ready yet.
You might be intrigued by the process of starting a hobby vineyard, but the metaphorical implications that are present for our lives, our teams, and even our businesses are even more fascinating. Anytime we start something new, we must give our attention and our energy to what will sustain long-term flourishing, cutting back early growth that detracts from enduring success. Rushing too quickly to fruitfulness will actually weaken our whole strategy for sustainability in life and leadership. It can be agonizing to patiently wait for the “roots” of an endeavor to be established, but it must be done. It doesn’t help that roots are not visible and are particularly susceptible to unseen forces.
Applications for Flourishing
As we consider a long, sustainable life for the vines, we must allow them to firmly establish their roots in the early years. What could this mean for you? Here are a few thoughts to consider.
Personal flourishing – Are you starting some new regimen, like an exercise program, a new way of eating, a new mindfulness routine, or a family? For a very long time – longer than you think – you will be laying a foundation for success. If you take care of the roots, the fruit will take care of itself. So, when you find yourself getting impatient and tempted to skip a step, remember, “roots before fruit.”
Team flourishing – Do you have a completely new team or new team member? What kind of environment does the team need in order to establish deep roots together? Give the new person time to put down their roots. Are there any unseen forces, or “moles,” that could sabotage a solid foundation? Identify the issue and mitigate it.
Business flourishing – Do you have a new venture or start-up? Like a winegrower, you have a clear purpose. You’ve already done the work to build the plan, prepare the soil, and plant the vine. Now, ask yourself if this venture is meant to be a long-term, sustainable venture. If so, you will need to take a disciplined leadership approach in the beginning to patiently focus on strong “roots.” You may need to bring your investors along to see the benefit of getting rid of early fruit for the benefit of longevity.
What thoughts or insights would you add to these?
Need a space to have these kinds of conversations?
We can facilitate the dialogue with a customized retreat in a vineyard. Schedule a consultation call to explore your options.
Our online and in-person events are another great place to inspire your imagination and discuss how the vineyard can show us a new framework for sustainable life and leadership.
As always, I’m with you on the journey through the seasons.
Cheers!