Gardening the Way of Life

Aside from aviation and language learning I also love to garden. I've always had a green thumb, or in other words, a niche for gardening. It's so much fun and rewarding. Gardening is a way to connect both with yourself and with nature at the same time. Learning is a passion of mine, and gardening certainly makes someone learn, which is one small reason why I love it.

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"When gardeners garden, it is not just the plants that grow, but the gardeners themselves."
​-Ken Druse

This quote cannot be truer in my opinion. I have found that some people think that the plants are the only ones that grow. That is far from the truth. Gardeners grow with plentiful amounts of knowledge as they gain experience. Life is all about gaining the proper experience and knowledge. Making mistakes is key to progress. Throughout time knowledge will be gained with patience and endurance. With gardening it is common to make mistakes, and that is certainly necessary for the progression towards earning that green thumb. No one was ever born knowing everything. This is why I want to share my passion of gardening with the world: so like minded individuals can come together and understand.

Gardening is never an easy feat for anyone. A lot of first timers will call it tedious, dirty, and painful labor. I personally can agree to these concepts to some extent. No one ever said that cultivating the land would ever be easy. It definitely takes lots of time, effort, and patience. Before one can reap the benefits, they must endure the hardships, just like any other job. However, no other job is as rewarding than that of farming, gardening, and harvesting. 

There is not really an 'easy' way to garden so to speak. On the other hand, there are definitely ways to make it easier on yourself. I have put together 5 ways to make gardening easier for first time gardeners. 
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Keep in mind that there is something that can always be learned. Every good gardener will not know everything about every plant. Start at one at a time and keep a good eye.

The fast pace growth of the intranet helps solve a lot of problems. Do not be afraid to post questions on local pages on social media. Discuss issues with like minded people. Knowledge only comes by asking, there is no such thing as a stupid question. 

Some question examples include:
-Why is my ____(Plant)____ dying?
-When can I plant ______?
-How long does it take for _____ to grow from seed to harvest?
-Who can I reach out to that will help me?
-What is the correct type of fertilizer to use for _____?
-Where can I go to get _____?

Like I said above, knowledge comes by asking other people. If you have a question, then chances are someone else will have the same question. You're just benefiting other people too.
Before starting any sort of project usually research is required. Before starting gardening, do a little side research.

 A few topics that can be researched are:
-Germination rates
-Length between planting and germination
-Local climate, weather, temperature, rainfall, etc. 
-What zone your area is in
-How often to water
-Is the plant a shade plant, full sun, etc
-Cool weather vs warm

It is very common for people to use things that are man made or artificial. One example of this is the use of pesticides. Do not use man made pesticides. Using the most natural way of gardening is the best. This provides a healthy, happy, and easy way to garden. Getting comfortable with growing plants takes time and the last thing needed is the anxiety of adding a mixture of hazardous compounds. Just go natural and everything will be okay. Again, it takes time so it will not be perfect on the first try. I personally love to use organic neem oil to control bugs.
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Gardening has so many benefits and rewards. The food tastes so much better. It's like a flavor party. I find it very amazing the difference between different foods. With gardening one cannot simply just give up. No. That's not how it needs to be. Try different locations to grow, different methods, crop rotation, amending the soil, adding beneficial organisms in to the soil, plant something different, etc. There is always a way to solve issues with a little research. Tracking through the internet is how I have learned a lot about not just the subject of gardening, but how to plant, where to plant, and what nutrients are needed for certain plants. It's really simple to get access to solutions in gardening. Never just give up because the rewards are worth the strife.

Gardening is one of my many hobbies and I love it so much. I could never imagine what it would be like without a garden. It is very intriguing to watch the growth and success of plants. It's something so satisfying and nice. The end product is always worth it. Whether it is a fresh salad, salsa, BLT sandwich, or a nice big breakfast smoothie it is always worth it.

"Gardening does not require perfect precision, but a little patience, faith, and care."
-jettAV8R