complicating things

There’s a school of gardening thought that champions simplifying gardening, avoiding wasteful effort.

Usually I’m all-in on simple. A simple kind of man. I like plain colors, plain speech, plain tastes…I could go on, but that would complicate the post. And simple, basic things have their place in my garden; it’s an organic garden after all.

But I do like some complication in my gardening.

The compost doesn’t need to be turned as often as I turn it, but I enjoy that. The plants don’t have to be doused with worm tea weekly. They’d do well. I do it because I like to.

I didn’t have to take the time to make tomato cages or dry banana peels all winter, I wanted to. It was fun.

I’m trying not to get over-complicated here. You get the point. Maybe sometime down the road when my dentures keep falling into the worm tea, or I can’t straighten back up after turning the compost I’ll reconsider more simplicity.

I realize it’s a no-win to contradict a revered old Japanese philosopher/gardener. What kind of idiot does that? I lose.

But complication, immersing myself in different ways to make the garden better, is really most of the point for me. The fruits and vegetables are good too, but I garden because it immerses me.

I want it to be complicated. It’s that simple.

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