The ideal garden that every gardener probably envisions is actually far removed from reality. Seedlings refuse to stretch in orderly rows toward the sun, bugs try to nibble on the tastiest bits, a sudden downpour blows seeds away from the even bed, and weeds run amok!
To avoid falling into a dark melancholy due to the discrepancy between the real picture and the glossy ideal, it is worth dispelling some harmful gardening misconceptions, and life in the country will turn out to be less sad and depressing.
A proper garden has no weeds!
This postulate must be dispelled decisively and ruthlessly. You can douse everything with herbicides and enjoy the bare soil, but let's face it: the power of a dandelion can crack asphalt. Who can guarantee that the chemicals will do the job without damaging those coveted cucumber crops?
Weeds can be removed only in strategic spots, leaving them to run rampant throughout the rest of the garden. There's no point in razing paths between garden beds to the bare earth; fine grass is more pleasant to walk on, and your shoes will be cleaner, too.
Experienced gardeners recommend sowing low-growing green manure crops, which cover the soil with a lacy green carpet and prevent the spread of harmful couch grass, prickly sow thistle, and spreading dandelions.
You can also cover any empty spaces in your garden beds with mulch. Dry grass—those same weeds that so irritate those who insist on perfect gardening—can work as mulch. The key to this type of mulch is to avoid using freshly cut grass, as it heats up as it rots, potentially damaging your plants.
I'm ashamed in front of my neighbors for my unkempt property!
This is the most harmful of all gardening misconceptions: "What will the neighbors say?!" The only issue where it's worth considering the opinions of strangers is preventing the spread of ripe weed seeds to neighboring gardens. To do this, simply go over the plot with a scythe once or twice a season. In other matters, the neighbors' opinions shouldn't be taken into account. The shape of my garden beds is none of their business 😊.
No one has the right to dictate to others how they treat their land, what they plant, and what they sow. You could even sprinkle it with grass seed, and you'll have a wonderful green lawn, perfect for walking barefoot (as you might have guessed, that's one of my favorite pastimes).
You need to water it every day!
Despite the importance of water for plants, watering shouldn't be treated as a sacred cow. It doesn't rain every day, but the planet hasn't yet turned into a parched desert—it's more important to maintain a balance, and a weather forecast is a great help here.
The likelihood of rain in the coming week will allow you to adjust your watering plan to minimize effort. And if you're still concerned about the delicate seedlings, mulch can come to the rescue—under a layer of dry grass, the soil retains moisture better, eliminating the need for daily watering. This is especially important for those gardeners who have to carry water to the beds in buckets.
No chemicals, everything should be natural!
Extremes in any endeavor cause almost as much harm as deliberate sabotage. Of course, environmentally friendly methods, the sacred and humble passion for hard physical labor, a back breaking from overexertion, and shaky knees—all of this may indeed appeal to some. But it's better to moderately spray your plants with special products against Colorado potato beetles, aphids, and other gluttonous insects a couple of times a season than to spend hours a day in the scorching sun manually stripping endless beds of those endless buzzing parasites.
The same applies to all kinds of fertilizers. You can mix endless cocktails of fragrant herbal infusions, liquid cow manure, and chicken manure, spread last year's compost around the garden by hand, or simply adjust your eco-friendly beliefs to benefit your own health and comfort.
A garden can be a source of endless creative joy, but it can also become a real drudgery. It's best not to let foolish misconceptions ruin this life-giving communion with nature!
Gardening should be a joy! If it's hard work for you (you're forcing yourself to do something), then you need to change either your thinking or your approach. For some, a dacha is relaxation (a gazebo, barbecues, a lawn, a pool), for others, a hobby (flowers, planting, experiments, etc.), and for others, food (growing vegetables, fruits, preserving for the winter). You need to figure out what you're most passionate about and focus on that.
From all sides - no pain, no gain, but I am also for pain without fanaticism.