{"id":4203,"date":"2012-11-27T08:00:51","date_gmt":"2012-11-27T08:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=4203"},"modified":"2014-07-17T19:09:20","modified_gmt":"2014-07-17T19:09:20","slug":"a-time-to-sow-a-time-to-reap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/a-time-to-sow-a-time-to-reap\/","title":{"rendered":"A time to sow, a time to reap, a time to add fertilizer…"},"content":{"rendered":"

That Ecclesiastes<\/i> quotation (minus the fertilizer part) is traditionally translated from Hebrew to Russian as \u0432\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043c\u044f \u043d\u0430\u0441\u0430\u0436\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c, \u0438 \u0432\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043c\u044f \u0432\u044b\u0440\u044b\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u043f\u043e\u0441\u0430<\/span>\u0436\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0435<\/b> (“a time to put in the ground, a time to tear up that which was planted”) — though the familiar English phrasing we all know from the Byrds song can be directly rendered as \u0412\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043c\u044f \u0441\u0435<\/span>\u044f\u0442\u044c<\/span>, \u0432\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043c\u044f \u0441\u043e\u0431\u0438\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u0443\u0440\u043e\u0436\u0430<\/span>\u0439<\/b> (“A time to sow, a time to collect the harvest”).<\/p>\n

Anyway, while late November isn’t generally considered “a time to sow” — at least not in the Russian climate! — there’s never a bad time to learn some new Russian vocabulary. Especially since lots of “sowing and reaping” can be done indoors, weather notwithstanding.<\/p>\n

Generally, when the subject is gardening, Russian distinguishes between two types of “gardens” — depending on the type of plants that are grown. \u0412 \u0441\u0430\u0434\u0443<\/span><\/span><\/b> (“in a fruit or flower garden”), one grows \u043f\u043b\u043e\u0434\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u044b\u0435 \u0434\u0435\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u044c\u044f<\/b> (“fruit trees”), \u044f<\/span>\u0433\u043e\u0434\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u043a\u0443\u0441\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0438<\/b> (“berry bushes”), or purely \u0434\u0435\u043a\u043e\u0440\u0430\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f<\/b> (“ornamental plants”), including \u0446\u0432\u0435\u0442\u044b<\/span><\/b> (“flowers”).<\/p>\n

On the other hand, \u043e\u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434<\/b> is defined as \u0443\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u043e\u043a<\/span> \u0437\u0435\u043c\u043b\u0438<\/span> \u043f\u043e\u0434 \u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043e\u0449\u0430\u043c\u0438<\/b> (“a piece of land [planted] with vegetables”).<\/p>\n

Which means that if you’re growing \u0430\u043f\u0435\u043b\u044c\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u044b, \u043c\u0430\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0443, \u0438\u043b\u0438 \u0442\u044e\u043b\u044c\u043f\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u044b<\/b> (“orange (trees), raspberries, or tulips”), then the word for “gardening” is \u0441\u0430\u0434\u043e\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e<\/b>, but if you’re growing \u0442\u044b<\/span>\u043a\u0432\u044b, \u043c\u043e\u0440\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u044c, \u0438\u043b\u0438 \u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0445<\/span><\/b> (“pumpkins, carrots, or peas”), then “vegetable gardening” would be \u043e\u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e<\/b>.<\/p>\n

Instead of these specific words for “gardening,” you could also fall back on the more generic \u0443\u0445\u043e<\/span>\u0434<\/b><\/span>, “taking care of” — which, as I mentioned in my post on pets<\/a>, is followed by \u0437\u0430<\/b> + instrumental. Thus, A Guide to Indoor Gardening<\/i> could be rendered with \u0441\u043f\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u043e\u0447\u043d\u0438\u043a \u043e\u0431 \u0443\u0445\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0435 \u0437\u0430 \u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u043d\u0430\u0442\u043d\u044b\u043c\u0438 \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f\u043c\u0438<\/b> (“a handbook about the care of houseplants”).<\/p>\n

No matter what type of gardening you’re interested in, the most important question, obviously, is “How do I make my plants grow<\/i>?” And “grow” in the intransitive<\/i> sense of “to mature, become bigger” is expressed with \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0438<\/span>\/\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0438<\/b>. Here’s how the imperfective conjugates:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0438<\/span><\/b> (“to grow, to get bigger” — intransitive<\/i>)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Past<\/i><\/td>\n\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0441, \u0440\u043e\u0441\u043b\u0430<\/span>, \u0440\u043e\u0441\u043b\u043e<\/span>, \u0440\u043e\u0441\u043b\u0438<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nsing.<\/i><\/td>\npl.<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1st<\/i><\/td>\n\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0443<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0451\u043c<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2nd<\/i><\/td>\n\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0451\u0448\u044c<\/b><\/td>\n\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0451\u0442\u0435<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3rd<\/i><\/td>\n\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0451\u0442<\/b><\/td>\n\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0443<\/span>\u0442<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The perfective \u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0438<\/b> conjugates identically, except that the stress stays on the prefix<\/span> throughout the conjugation — e.g., \u043c\u044b \u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0435\u043c<\/b>.<\/p>\n

But this intransitive pair above must not be confused with the transitive<\/i> pair
\n\u0432\u044b\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0449\u0438\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c\/\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0442\u044c<\/b>! The perfective of this one is a classic example of an \u0438<\/b>-type verb<\/a> that has a consonant mutation in the 1st-person singular ONLY. Thus, it’s:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0442\u044c<\/b> (“to grow\/raise\/cultivate [a plant]” — perfective)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Past<\/i><\/td>\n\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0438\u043b, -\u0430, -\u043e, -\u0438<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nsing.<\/i><\/td>\npl.<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1st<\/i><\/td>\n\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0440\u0430\u0449\u0443<\/b><\/td>\n\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0438\u043c<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2nd<\/i><\/td>\n\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0448\u044c<\/b><\/td>\n\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0442\u0435<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3rd<\/i><\/td>\n\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0442<\/b><\/td>\n\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u044f\u0442<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

And the imperfective \u0432\u044b\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0449\u0438\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/b> is really easy — no mutations or shifting stress to worry about: \u044f \u0432\u044b\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0449\u0438\u0432\u0430\u044e, \u0442\u044b \u0432\u044b\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0449\u0438\u0432\u0430\u0435\u0448\u044c<\/b>, and so on.<\/p>\n

In short, we can compare these two different translations of the English verb “is growing”:<\/p>\n

\u041e<\/span>\u043d \u0432\u044b\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0449\u0438\u0432\u0430\u0435\u0442 \u044f<\/span>\u0431\u043b\u043e\u043d\u044e<\/span>.<\/b>
\nHe is growing an apple tree.<\/i> (transitive)<\/p>\n

\u0423 \u043d\u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u044f<\/span>\u0431\u043b\u043e\u043d\u044f \u0445\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0448\u043e<\/span> \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0451\u0442.<\/b>
\nHis apple tree is growing well.<\/i> (intransitive)<\/p>\n

And now let’s return to that question: How do you ensure that your plants will grow, instead of turning brown?<\/p>\n

A lot of inexperienced gardeners assume that \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043a\u0430<\/b> (“watering”) is sufficient. They think, \u00ab\u041b\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u044c\u044f \u0443 \u043c\u043e\u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f \u0447\u0443\u0442\u044c-\u0447\u0443\u0442\u044c \u0436\u0435\u043b\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u044e\u0442 — \u0437\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0447\u0438\u0442, \u043f\u043e\u0440\u0430<\/span> \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/span> \u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span>!\u00bb<\/b> — “The leaves of my plant are getting a little yellow — must be time to water it!” (In fact, yellow leaves can be a \u043f\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u0437\u043d\u0430\u043a<\/b>, “symptom,” that the plant is already over<\/i>-watered and the roots are drowning.)<\/p>\n

It’s true that some houseplants like \u0442\u0440\u0430\u0434\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0442\u0438\u044f<\/b> (“Wandering Jew”) and \u0444\u0438\u043b\u043e\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0434\u0440\u043e\u043d<\/b> (guess!) need practically zero care other than \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043a\u0430<\/b> — an occasional \u043e\u0431\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0437\u043a\u0430<\/b><\/span> or \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0436\u0438\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/b><\/span> (both words can mean “pruning”) is beneficial, but not totally mandatory. For which reason, these low-maintenance species are popular in bachelor apartments and doctor’s waiting rooms!<\/p>\n

But with most plants, there are many other things to consider, especially if you’re hopeful that your \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0446\u0432\u0435\u0442\u0451\u0442<\/span> \u0438 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u043d\u0435\u0441\u0451\u0442 \u043f\u043b\u043e\u0434\u044b<\/span><\/b> (“plant will come into bloom and yield fruit”).<\/p>\n

\u041f\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u0432\u0430<\/b> (“soil; earth”)<\/h3>\n

Healthy plants need healthy soil. So the proper \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0433\u043e\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043a\u0430 \u043f\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u0432\u044b<\/b> (“preparation of soil”) is essential. The very first step is \u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044c \u043f\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u0432\u0443\/\u0437\u0435<\/span>\u043c\u043b\u044e<\/b> (“to till the soil\/earth”). This process of \u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u043a\u0430<\/b> (“tilling”) can be done with such hand-tools as the \u0433\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0431\u043b\u0438<\/b> (“rake”), \u043b\u043e\u043f\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u043a\u0430<\/b> (“shovel, spade”), and \u043c\u043e\u0442\u044b<\/span>\u0433\u0430<\/b> (“hoe”), and it serves to condition the soil and make it more \u0440\u044b<\/span>\u0445\u043b\u044b\u0439<\/b> (“loose; not densely packed”). If your soil is very \u0433\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0441\u0442\u044b\u0439<\/b> (“clayey”), you may want to add some \u043f\u0435\u0441\u043e<\/span>\u043a<\/b> (“sand”) and\/or \u0441\u043e\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u0430<\/b> (“straw”)<\/span>.<\/p>\n

And you should probably also add some \u0443\u0434\u043e\u0431\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/b><\/span> (“fertilizer”), which provides your plants with various \u043f\u0438\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0432\u0435\u0449\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0430<\/span><\/b> (“nutrients”), most importantly \u0430\u0437\u043e<\/span>\u0442<\/b> (“nitrogen”). For a large garden, \u043d\u0430\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0437<\/b> (“aged and processed manure”) is the most economical choice, or you can make your own \u043a\u043e\u043c\u043f\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u0442<\/b> (guess!). But if you have a small plant \u0432 \u0433\u043e\u0440\u0448\u043a\u0435<\/span><\/b> (“in a flowerpot”), you can purchase a \u0436\u0438<\/span>\u0434\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0440<\/b> (“liquid solution”) in a bottle.<\/p>\n

When the soil is finally ready, it’s time for…<\/p>\n

\u041f\u043e\u0441\u0430<\/span>\u0434\u043a\u0430<\/b> (“planting”)<\/h3>\n

The basic verb for “planting a plant” is the pair \u0441\u0430\u0436\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c\/\u043f\u043e\u0441\u0430\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/b> — which, as you may already know, also means “to put someone\/something into a sitting position<\/a>.” You can use this verb both in reference to a \u0441\u0430<\/span>\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0435\u0446<\/b> (“seedling; immature plant”) or to an individual \u0441\u0435<\/span>\u043c\u044f<\/b>, “seed”. (And if you haven’t seen it, check out David Roberts’ excellent post on neuter nouns ending in -\u043c\u044f<\/b><\/a>, including \u0441\u0435<\/span>\u043c\u044f<\/b>.)<\/p>\n

But if you’re planting lots of \u0441\u0435\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0430<\/span><\/b> by throwing\/sprinkling handfuls of them, then you can use the already-mentioned verb (\u043f\u043e)\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u044f\u0442\u044c<\/b> (“to sow”). And you can “sow” either the seeds, or the plant itself:<\/p>\n

\u041c\u044b<\/span> \u0441\u0435<\/span>\u0435\u043c \u0441\u0435\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0430<\/span> \u0430\u0440\u0431\u0443<\/span>\u0437\u043e\u0432.<\/b>
\nWe’re sowing the seeds of watermelons.<\/p>\n

\u041c\u044b<\/span> \u0441\u0435<\/span>\u0435\u043c \u0430\u0440\u0431\u0443<\/span>\u0437\u044b.<\/b>
\nWe’re sowing watermelons.<\/p>\n

And with some plants, it’s common practice to “start the seeds” indoors during the winter, and then transplant the \u0441\u0430<\/span>\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0446\u044b<\/b> outside when the weather is warmer. Other plants are commonly “cloned” using a \u0447\u0435\u0440\u0435\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u043a<\/b> (“cutting”) from a mature plant. Cuttings from a plant with \u0441\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0441\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u0431\u043b\u0438<\/b> (“soft, fleshy stems”) may spontaneously \u0443\u043a\u043e\u0440\u0435\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f<\/b> (“produce roots”) in a glass of plain tap-water, but \u0434\u0440\u0435\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u043d\u044b\u0435<\/b> (“woody”) plants often require artificial hormones to induce \u0443\u043a\u043e\u0440\u0435\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/b>.<\/p>\n

But in either situation, the verb \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0430<\/span>\u0436\u0438\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c\/\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0430\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/b> comes in handy:<\/p>\n

\u041f\u043e<\/span>\u0437\u0434\u043d\u0435\u0439 \u0432\u0435\u0441\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0439 \u044f \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0430\u0436\u0443<\/span> \u043a\u043b\u0443<\/span>\u0431\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0443 \u043d\u0430 \u0434\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0440.<\/b>
\nIn late spring I shall transplant\/replant the strawberries outside.<\/p>\n

And one final observation:<\/p>\n

\u041a\u0430<\/span>\u0436\u0434\u044b\u0439 \u0441\u0430\u0434\u043e\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0434 (\u0438\u043b\u0438 \u043e\u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u0438\u043a) \u043f\u043e\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u043d\u043d\u043e \u0437\u0430\u043d\u0438\u043c\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f \u0431\u043e\u0440\u044c\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0439 \u0441 \u0431\u043e\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0437\u043d\u044f\u043c\u0438 \u0438 \u0432\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044f\u043c\u0438.<\/b>
\nEvery gardener (or vegetable-gardener) constantly wages a battle with diseases and pests!<\/p>\n

That word \u0432\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c<\/b> is literally “one who harms,” so from a gardener’s standpoint, it can refer to everything from the \u0442\u043b\u044f<\/b> (“aphid”) to the \u0433\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0446\u0430<\/b> (“caterpillar”) to the \u0432\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0431\u0435<\/span>\u0439<\/b> (“sparrow”) to the \u043e<\/span>\u043b\u0435\u043d\u044c<\/b> (“deer”). Still, Nature also gave the gardener a few allies, such as the aphid-eating \u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u044c\u044f \u043a\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043a\u0430<\/span><\/b> (“lady<\/span>bug”) — so chemical \u043f\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0446\u0438<\/span>\u0434\u044b<\/b> can, in some cases, be avoided.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

That Ecclesiastes quotation (minus the fertilizer part) is traditionally translated from Hebrew to Russian as \u0432\u0440\u0435\u043c\u044f \u043d\u0430\u0441\u0430\u0436\u0434\u0430\u0442\u044c, \u0438 \u0432\u0440\u0435\u043c\u044f \u0432\u044b\u0440\u044b\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c \u043f\u043e\u0441\u0430\u0436\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0435 (“a time to put in the ground, a time to tear up that which was planted”) — though the familiar English phrasing we all know from the Byrds song can be directly rendered as…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":94,"featured_media":4250,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[109579,253069,60723,1290],"class_list":["post-4203","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-gardening","tag-growing-plants","tag-russian-phrases","tag-russian-verbs"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4203","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/94"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4203"}],"version-history":[{"count":50,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4203\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6537,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4203\/revisions\/6537"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4250"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4203"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4203"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4203"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}