1. Serve A Purpose or Be Pulled Out
Every year, we gardeners work our asses off for our plants. We prepare the soil, clear the ground, and bring in fertilizer so our plants can grow to their maximum potential. We work hard so our plants can grow strong.
Because they give us fruits, we give plants all they need.
On the other hand, plants which do not serve a purpose, plants which only seek to take fertility and light, without giving something back are called weeds. We pull them out because they give nothing back to the garden. They are selfish, and because of this, they are quickly pulled out of the productive garden.
Lesson: Contribute first, and you will be taken care of.
2. Work With Forces, Not Against Them
There are two philosophies when it comes to a garden. One believes the world is out to get your precious plants, and the other believes the right ecosystem must exist for optimal growth.
The one who believes the world is out to get his plants uses chemicals and synthetic fertilizers to keep his plants alive and productive. In doing so, he contaminates his food with chemicals, kills insects, and creates a “sterile” environment for his plants.
In the other, companion plants are planted, birds and insects encouraged, and flowers planted for others. The farmer hopes everything will balance itself out in this biodiversity. If an insect starts to take over, it is immediately eaten by its predator.
Can you guess which type of gardening is more fun?
Lesson: It takes too much effort to fight against the will of the world. Seek a place to work within natural forces.
3. A Little Every Day
If you’ve ever had a garden and left it for a few days, you know what this means. A garden left untended for even a week quickly becomes and impossible task. Weeds quickly establish themselves and entangle the rest of your garden. It becomes a monumental task to undo all the work of weeds and insects.
Working a on a garden every day, it’s almost as if there is no real work. Walk, look, pick a few weeds, and chew on a few tomatoes. There is no massive effort required.
Lesson: Work against entropy. Visit your garden frequently and check its health.
4. The Best Gardens Are Symphonies
The best Gardens are truly symphonies. There isn’t a plant in a place where it doesn’t belong. Individual plants have their own strengths and weaknesses, and a great gardener knows his plants personalities.
Every plant is planted according to its personal cycle. The quick growers are planted to give shade to the slower growers, and everything works together.
Lesson: Work from the personalities of individuals, and give them the communities they need.
5. Work According to the Season
Gardeners only have one year at a time. And each day within that year happens within a season.
So we focus on what needs to be done, today. Even though we constantly look to the future, we spend time within our garden today, working on its immediate needs. Within the winter months we plan and scheme, but during the Spring, Summer, and Fall we work.
Lesson: Put in the hours when necessary. Plot and scheme when the time is right: when there is no growth.
6. Screw Subsidies
For most corn and soybean farmers, growing food is a losing proposition. It isn’t until after they get their couple hundred dollars in subsidies that they “make” a profit.
Gardeners, on the other hand, get no subsidies. Everything planted must create more than was put in. The properly designed garden outputs more than put in. An improperly designed garden requires support and subsidies.
Lesson: Make sure you get more than you put in.
7. We Are All Farmers
No matter where you live, you must eat. Your food purchases decide how food gets grown.
So like it or not, you are a farmer. We are all farmers. We all decide how plants get grown, either directly or indirectly.
Lesson: We are all leaders, we are all in business for ourselves.
