In 2020, my partner and I joined the ranks of enthusiastic novice gardeners. We purchased a compact two-foot by eight-foot raised garden bed and set it up on our deck. It was our first attempt at growing our own food, and as the saying goes, “Necessity is the mother of invention,” especially during a global pandemic.
Our initial gardening experience was a hard lesson in humility: we started our seeds indoors and when it was time to transfer them into larger trays, we placed them in our garage under some flimsy grow lights we had ordered online. The next morning, we rushed out to check on our “plant babies” only to find a scene of devastation.
Every single seedling had been devoured.
We had planted over a hundred seedlings, but a family of voles had infiltrated our garage, leaving no trace of their midnight feast.
Despite this rocky start, our 2020 season ended on a moderately successful note: we enjoyed fresh romaine lettuce and zucchini from our garden, although our tomatoes were just budding when the first frost hit. So, when we turned our attention to the 2021 season, we decided to take a leap and plant a cut flower garden. We meticulously planned three new raised beds filled with Colorado-friendly flowers, using spreadsheets and color-coded diagrams to map out our planting zones.
However, as I began to dive deeper into the complexities of planting, growing, and harvesting living organisms, I quickly felt overwhelmed by the sheer specificity involved. One fundamental truth struck me: soil health is crucial for gardening. I had never truly grasped how directly the quality of soil impacts growth.
Did you know that every year, you should re-pot even common houseplants? Experts recommend replacing 25% of the soil in potted plants with fresh compost each spring. After following this advice for the first time, I was amazed to see several of my plants thrive and sprout new growth.
When cultivating flowers and vegetables, soil also requires regular fertilization. I discovered that fertilizers vary in type and formulation based on the pH levels needed for each plant. Upon realizing that my initial garden plan had flowers requiring completely different nutrient needs growing alongside each other, I had to reconsider my entire layout.
To add another layer of complexity, each plant had specific requirements for both horizontal and vertical space. Some needed protective fencing to support their weight, while others had unique watering needs. I ended up scaling back some of my flower choices because we simply didn’t have enough space to accommodate their diverse hydration preferences.
My journey in gardening forced me to confront my own self-care habits. One evening, after feeling frustrated by the demands of a single flower, I asked myself: What’s the alternative? The answer was sobering—I desired a beautiful, thriving garden that required minimal attention. Clearly, my expectations were misaligned with the reality of nurturing any living thing, especially a flower garden meant to yield bouquets for the community.
Gardening provides profound insights into personal growth and well-being. Reflecting on my career as a writer and editor in a corporate environment, I recalled how often creatives were placed in sterile cubicles and expected to deliver exceptional work without proper support. I remember nurses expressing their distress over the “indifference” shown by their supervisors while they were responsible for making life-and-death decisions.
Growing plants is fraught with challenges and intricacies, yet gardeners must remain vigilant. The consequences of neglect are immediate and stark: a plant either thrives or perishes. When a plant shows signs of decline, the gardener has a narrow window to intervene. Unlike a wilting flower, humans often overlook the need for care and attention, expecting everything to flourish without effort.
In the late ’90s, my father worked for a company that disregarded the physical well-being of its outdoor technicians. He spent years driving a van without air conditioning and climbing into attics during scorching summers, often coming home drenched in sweat. The supervisors showed little concern for their employees’ conditions, and workers didn’t challenge the status quo because they felt disposable.
If a gardener treated their crops this way, they would fail miserably. It’s crucial to recognize how often we allow ourselves to be treated as expendable. How many times have I engaged in projects or joined organizations that valued me only for my productivity? Too many times, I realize.
If nature teaches us that plants cannot thrive under neglect, why do we overlook the same truth in ourselves?
As the 2021 growing season draws to a close, I’m gaining a newfound appreciation for gardening, especially among those of us who have lived in urban settings. I always understood that food comes from farms, not grocery stores, but I had no idea about the science, strategy, and intuition involved in successful gardening. I’m filled with gratitude for gardeners and farmers who put in the hard work.
This revelation also brings to light my tendency to expect success in life without putting in the necessary effort. Perhaps it’s a defense mechanism or laziness, but I suspect it’s a lesson from my garden reminding me that everything in life is interconnected.
When one plant suffers, the surrounding root systems likely feel the impact, whether that harm is immediately apparent or not. This principle applies to us as well: when we neglect our well-being, those around us are affected, too.
Imagine if we treated ourselves with the same care we extend to our gardens. What would happen if we acknowledged our interconnectedness? Maybe then, we’d all begin to truly flourish.
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In summary, my gardening journey has not only taught me practical skills but also highlighted the importance of self-care and community. The lessons learned in nurturing plants can equally apply to how we care for ourselves and one another.
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