On sowing seeds and saving seed
· 3 min read
Most of what I know about perennials came from getting it wrong first. Nothing here requires a garden fork, though it does make things easier.
First steps
I like pruning that shows the marks of how it was made. For a long time I treated compost as an afterthought. Looking back, the shady approach was the right call. Nothing here requires a hand trowel, though it does make things easier.
Half of gardening is noticing what grows on its own. Looking back, the wild approach was the right call. Compost is slow magic, and it cannot be rushed. It took me seven attempts to see the pattern. For a long time I treated perennials as an afterthought.
The short version
Nothing here requires a watering can, though it does make things easier. I keep a short list of things to try next; planting bulbs is near the top. For a long time I treated cover crops as an afterthought. I sow a little too early every spring and never seem to learn. The slugs got most of the lettuce, but the beans did well.
The soil is nicer every year, mainly because I stopped digging it.
Notes along the way
Some of this will be obvious; some of it took me years. Here is what shifted, and what stayed exactly the same. For a long time I treated the greenhouse as an afterthought. Looking back, the overgrown approach was the right call.
I tested the modest version first. It did not last. I am still not sure I have it right, but it is closer. If something here is unclear, that is on me, not you. This started as a quick note and slowly turned into something longer. You can get unexpectedly far with a rain barrel and some a steady hand.
Most of what I know about tomatoes came from getting it wrong first. Leave some corners messy; the insects will thank you. Half of the work is deciding what to leave out. Saving seed means next year’s garden starts this autumn.
Closing thoughts
You can get unexpectedly far with a cold frame and some a steady hand. If you only take one thing from this, make it the part about perennials. If you only take one thing from this, make it the part about compost. If you only take one thing from this, make it the part about herbs. Good perennials is mainly a series of modest, unglamorous decisions.
It took me twelve attempts to see the pattern. Most problems with herbs turn out to be problems with time. The best advice I got was simply to slow down.
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