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My foray into gardening turned into an engineering project. Figuring out the amount of sunlight an area gets, being able to mointor ph/moisture, drip irrigatio

My foray into gardening turned into an engineering project. Figuring out the amount of sunlight an area gets, being able to mointor ph/moisture, drip irrigation, foldable greenhouse covers, proper tools to make tilling the soil and laying down a solid weed barrier, etc. It got to be too time consuming, expensive and doing it any other way seemed demoralizing. During that time, a lot of gadgets have come out that make those things easier. I am pretty happy that I spent my time enjoying other things and can come back to it now if I wanted to with the efficiency I wanted before.

tectec 3y ago
Gardening doesn’t have to be that intense. I grow a reasonably productive 12x20 garden, just by guessing. And I’m not a natural.
danybittel 3y ago
I learned gardening from my dad and he'se the pure opposite of an engineer. What he does, he goes through the garden, does a bit here and a bit there. If he sees a plant he likes, he makes space for it, if he doesn't like something, he cut's it down. Occasionally he brings new plants (some from other peoples trash).. or tries new things. If it works, he does more of it, if it doesn't work, it's usually just in a small patch. He doesn't really do any planning. This way.. over the years, he has a massive and healthy garden. Very diverse, lot's of insects, flowers, fruits, berries... He never uses pest control either. The lesson, "Don't fight forces, use them".
- marmakoide 3y ago
  After a few years trying to maintain a 80's like lawn without pest and weed control (2nd hand home, previous owner), I learned the way of your dad : I just remove things I don't like, favor what I like. My garden is not the 80's picture perfect lawn anymore. It looks like a pretty prairie now, with poppies and all sort of other local wild flowers. It burns in August, it is self regenerated by October. No need for watering. Bees are coming, my kids discover all sort of insects we didn't see when we moved in.
  - paulryanrogers 3y ago
    What does "burns in August" mean? Do you light it on fire?

tectec 3y ago

Gardening doesn’t have to be that intense. I grow a reasonably productive 12x20 garden, just by guessing. And I’m not a natural.

danybittel 3y ago

I learned gardening from my dad and he'se the pure opposite of an engineer. What he does, he goes through the garden, does a bit here and a bit there. If he sees a plant he likes, he makes space for it, if he doesn't like something, he cut's it down. Occasionally he brings new plants (some from other peoples trash).. or tries new things. If it works, he does more of it, if it doesn't work, it's usually just in a small patch. He doesn't really do any planning. This way.. over the years, he has a massive and healthy garden. Very diverse, lot's of insects, flowers, fruits, berries... He never uses pest control either. The lesson, "Don't fight forces, use them".

marmakoide 3y ago
After a few years trying to maintain a 80's like lawn without pest and weed control (2nd hand home, previous owner), I learned the way of your dad : I just remove things I don't like, favor what I like. My garden is not the 80's picture perfect lawn anymore. It looks like a pretty prairie now, with poppies and all sort of other local wild flowers. It burns in August, it is self regenerated by October. No need for watering. Bees are coming, my kids discover all sort of insects we didn't see when we moved in.
- paulryanrogers 3y ago
  What does "burns in August" mean? Do you light it on fire?