the Ebb & Flow of Gardening

[digitS']

I was watching a show on geology this morning and the geologist was explaining how ebb & flow of water (& wind) could be seen in sedimentary rocks. She used the term "asymmetry" of the wave marks and a diagram to show what she meant. With flow all in one direction, the marks were asymmetrical but if waves came and went, the marks would be balanced.

Does your gardening ebb and flow?

I was thinking how crop rotation would be a part of that. Selection, too. Maybe interest in one crop or another . . .

My gardens are quite large and I think it is real possible to recognize ebbs & flows. Last year, I gave up one garden that had become about 25' by 300'. It was at a distance from the other gardens and I was getting real tired of making the additional stop while commuting about . . .

I've given up something, tho'. That soil had the best, read "easiest", texture to work. Oh, I broke a couple of rototiller shear pins out there but it was only because I'd come on a big rock as kind of a surprise! Mostly, the soil was sandy.

Now, I've got the "gravel" gardens :/. One is so "hard-scrabble" that I don't know if I made a mistake by keeping it while giving up the other . It is definitely more difficult to grow good crops. Still, there is the opportunity to expand . . . what? Am I nutz?!?

Yeah, toss off about 1/4 acre and add another and not even know how best to make use of it. Whatever the case, I think I proved that 2012 was a little less than the usual gardening challenge. Maybe I can overcome the asymmetry of the stone age by going off in a slightly different direction. What is it that Jared has in his signature: "I set my sails for a new direction, but the wind got in my way."

Steve

 

[Mickey328]

Could you manage to bring some of that good but far soil over into the close but rocky garden?

For us, I find a lot of ebbs and flows in our choice of things to grow. For 2 or 3 years, after we de-sodded the front and about 1/3 of the back yard, we went a bit crazy with getting ornamental, structural plants in. We weren't, at that point, thinking so much about growing things to eat. Now, I almost wish we hadn't put so many "pretties" in. We're planning to put in much, much more edibles this year so it'll be interesting to see where we stick things in and amongst the flowers and shrubs.

Coming up now on the busy time, but it'll be interesting to see the ebbs and flows in the future as well...finding out that where we put the beans this year was only so-so and rethinking it for the next, finding out that one root crop didn't go over too well and changing it up the next time around...it's just an ongoing adventure!

 

[thistlebloom]

Ebb and flow is a good term. If I look back over my gardening life there have been a lot of tidal changes.

I think I was at my peak as far as my endurance matching my enthusiasm when my boys were young and we had a huge garden. The kids had their own crops and if they weren't actually working in their little plots they were out there with me playing. We spent lots and lots of time out there!

Happy days....

Since then there have been different gardens, some years very minimal ones, some years real productive ones.

The last several years have been spent learning a new climate and the limitations of weather on favorite crops. But I am learning!

Now my biggest challenge is time, since the season is short, but everything else in my life accelerates during the growing season, but I still want to have a big garden. Maybe this will be the year I find the perfect combination of energy, time, and methods!

 

[Jared77]

Right on with my signature Steve. Its a line from an Eric Church song that really hit home with me.

As ebb & flow goes for us its striking the balance of want & need. We need so many quarts of sauce & salsa, so many quarts of pickles, or lbs of potatoes. But its not just about volume its also about taste & flavor. If I wanted buckets of flavorless tomatoes to make gallons of flavorless red sauce I can get that from the grocery store & save a lot of hours working outside. But we want more, tomatoes that taste like they have somehow been smuggled out of Eden and pumpkins to be used as coaches till the stroke of midnight.

I try many different varieties of things to be sure I get what I want. 2 years ago my garden was littered with green tomatoes, the year after that yellows and blacks. I still have my regulars, but I'm always trying something new.

New is not limited to variety either in my garden plots. I'm always trying a new technique or idea too.

The biggest change is we're hopefully moving so that will present us with all new challenges and rewards. I'm anxious to see where that will lead us to

 

[catjac1975]

How about renting it out to a land starved gardener. You can rent it for an exchange of crops.

 

[digitS']

Cat, you must be referring to me giving up a garden in 2012.

I was confused, read back thru the other posts and still confused. Finally, the idea above occurred to me . . .

No. I don't own or have any control of that piece of ground. It was offered for my use for several years. It is in a farm field - in the middle of a farm field. Almost, in the middle of my comings & goings to other gardens which could have meant that it was well-located but just having another place to stop made things more difficult. I appreciated it until it just became too much bother.

Last year, the ground was just put back into use by the owner. It is in an awkward location, however, and not easily accessed by farm equipment.

Steve