Roots and Revelations: Insights from My Bountiful Garden

 

I used to lack a green thumb, struggling to keep even a cactus alive. I had a basic understanding that plants required water, soil, and sunlight, but during those busy periods of my life, I never truly appreciated plants as I do now.

A few years ago, my wife and I purchased a home with some land, and to our delight, the previous owners had left behind a small garden. Although most of the area was overrun with weeds, we were filled with excitement as we uncovered its hidden treasures.

However, being complete novices to gardening, we found ourselves faced with a steep learning curve and numerous questions. We often pondered whether a particular growth was an unwanted weed or a desirable plant. We were unsure about the frequency of watering, fertilizing, and adding compost. The concept of tilling the soil seemed foreign to us. And we wondered how best to protect our garden from the intrusion of birds and rodents.

Much like anything else, the answers to these questions came with time, trial and error. We are
now in our seventh year of gardening, and although we are still learning, we've come a long way from our first small plot of vegetables. We now have a small orchard with several fruit trees and dozens of berry plants. We've expanded the space for the vegetable garden, and we made adjustments to optimize our soil and keep everything organic. We've been able to produce enough fruit to freeze supplies that last us through most of the winter and to share with friends, family and coworkers.

This success led me to reflect on what I did to help these plants thrive and improve each new year. Though many factors are out of my control, adding the right nutrients at the right time or adjusting the pH of the soil slightly can make a big difference. In this process of reflection, I've realized that much of this hobby has had big impact on who I am as a person

Lessons of Patience

Plants take patience, and patience takes practice. It took four years for my orange tree to bear a substantial amount of fruit. Though they were planted years ago, my apple, plum and pear trees still need time to reach full production.

Success with plants doesn't happen overnight, and in many cases it takes years of dedication and nurturing. When everything goes as planned, patience can be easy. But when those plans are challenged and disrupted, that's when patience can truly be tested.

Gardening is not always perfect, but with patient persistence, it can lead to beautiful things.

Lessons in Pruning

One of the most emotionally difficult tasks in my garden is the annual pruning of fruit trees. Each winter, I must remove up to one-third of the branches, all of which are typically healthy and have the capacity to bear fruit. The trouble is, if I don't prune the branches, the trees could become more susceptible to disease and the size and quantity of fruit won't reach its potential.

I don't think it's a coincidence that around the same time that I prune the trees, I often reflect on my own life to see what can be trimmed. I've learned to pay close attention to how I'm spending my time, and periodically reflect on what "extra branches" of my work and home life can be trimmed. This process of reflection has also led me to cut things out of my life that require too much emotional energy, such as limiting my time on social media. This allows me to focus on the areas of my life that will lead to greater fruit, such as spending quality time with my family. This approach has also helped me narrow my focus in my career. In a way, pruning can protect us from burnout by helping us focus our energy on the best fruits we can offer.

Finally ...

If you don't already garden, I'd encourage you to consider it. It may seem overwhelming, but with the abundance of resources available online, starting with easy plants such as tomatoes, peppers and herbs can build confidence and give you the desire to grow more. As I've experienced, my hope is that gardening can help us become better human beings by helping us grow in skills and virtues that can enrich our our lives, and also lead us to better health.