The days of turning over the soil, planting some seeds, and waiting for Mother Nature to do her thing are leaving us. Gardening is going high tech. From the latest tillers, to high tech watering systems, to Hybrid plants, a garden is now a hotbed of technological wonders to help you grow the greenest broccoli, the biggest tomato, or the perfect size seedless cucumber.
Hybrid seeds have been around a long time. Genetically engineered to create bigger, better, and faster growing product, they have been a staple in the home garden industry for the past 40 or 50 years. The compulsion to have the biggest, best, earliest crop has led to us giving up nutrients that ‘normal’ plants have. You have about an 80% success rate on your seeds and you cannot save hybrid seeds for use the next year. Remind me again why hybrid seeds are better?
You can spend several thousand dollars on a system that waters your garden according to plant. You might want to budget an extra several thousand for a weekly visit from a botanical geological physicist to program it for you. Or you can help Mother Nature by getting a sprinkling can, or fixing up a hose with holes poked in it to do some soaking.
Should we talk about chemical fertilizers? I didn’t think so. Horse Manure (usually sold by the pickup load at local stables), composting materials, and lime are natural and what have been used for generations.
High Tech is good for a lot of things, but I believe that getting down on my knees and getting my hands dirty, and touching and talking to my seeds and plants as I nurture them makes me more appreciative of the end results. Make it a family affair, get the kids and grandkids involved too!