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Gardening is The Work

June 19th, 2017

“Maintenance is necessary and hugely satisfying work, in part because you become nature’s ally. And there’s no getting around the work. The willingness to put effort into your garden is at the heart of what it is to be a gardener. You know plenty about what it feels like when you put work into your garden in April and May, then let things slide a bit in June. Before you know it, the garden is a patch of weeds and your’e either in denial or disappointment. It doesn’t have to be that way if you plant wisely, start small, and build your confidence.”

Gordon Hayward in Tending Your Garden


This time of year gardening is more about weeding, pruning, cleaning, mulching, deadheading, and all the chores that make up gardening. Gardening after all is an active hobby. I enjoy the work of gardening, the hard work, the easy work, and the results of all that work. This past weekend I spent a lot of time working in the garden, or I should say gardening.

What’s your favorite activity that makes up gardening?

3 Comments to “Gardening is The Work”
  1. Nebraska Dave on June 19, 2017 at 9:05 am

    Susy, yes, this is the time of the year when weed maintenance is highest. Actually, weeding is a task that I kind of like because progress can be seen immediately. June is a busy weed removing month. I have yet to find any thing better than good old fashioned hand weeding. Getting up close and personal to the soil really gives me a connection with the soil in the garden. Knowing that the soil life is thriving makes me a happy gardener.

    I saw a little garden snake the other day. Now, I don’t like snakes but I also know that are bug and small rodent eaters. So life in the the garden big and small is living in abundance. I wouldn’t know that unless I was close to the soil.

    Have a great gardening is the work day.

    Reply to Nebraska Dave's comment

  2. Misti on June 19, 2017 at 9:24 am

    I enjoy weeding to some extent! I think I like the satisfaction at the end, seeing what I completed. I don’t like that moment when two months later you realize you’ve gotta do some more attacking of the weeds! I’m actually still reaping the consequences of letting our kitchen garden go fallow two summers ago when I had an older baby and was completely overwhelmed with it all.

    It’s hard to just putter without pulling a weed!

    Reply to Misti's comment

  3. Robin on June 20, 2017 at 7:45 am

    I appreciate the photo showing weeds. It’s not all that common for gardeners to share the realities of weeds. I’m going to include pics in this week’s In My Garden. They’re out of control in the high tunnel because they soil was watered for the first time in eight or nine years. I don’t mind weeding. I’ll feed some to the compost bin and toss others (minus roots) into the raised beds I’m filling.

    Reply to Robin's comment

About

This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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