Growing at the Speed of Life - A Year in the Life of My First Kitchen Garden

beds, I figured that 10 pounds would do it, but Scott did it by eye (like I eat), and

it was more like 7 pounds, according to my obsessive–compulsive observation!

This is another of those areas where local knowledge is king. No amount of tech­
nical estimation can take the place of experienced organic growers in your area

who work with similar soil and climate.

Scott added fertilizer with the same practical eye and told me to watch the

leaves. “If they yellow, feed ’em.” He handed me a container of his own organic

fertilizer, Intrepid, and left. (Should you be unable to find his fertilizer, I’m sure

you’ll be able to locate a good natural alternative at your nearest nursery supply
store.)

In my search for what (on earth!) to do next, I ran headlong into a whole

catalog full of nifty instruments that promised to take all the guesswork out of

watering and feeding. You just stick the various pronged devices into the soil and,

bingo, they tell you what to do. My first reaction was relief. At least I’ve got a

solution! But I had learned through ample experience not to jump at technolog y
on its face (advertised) value. I decided to think it through for a couple of days

before ordering.

One week later I was convinced that I’d prefer to follow the billions of farm­

ers who observe how their plants are doing and through years of experience know

instinctively how to respond. If I began my journey with a reliance on high tech,

it might mean that I’d never know what “high touch” was like—and machines
would have created a dependency that could have reduced my direct involvement

with the plants, which I’d gain through observation. So I decided to buy the

tester and do both and keep a good record.

Over the first year, I added fertilizer twice—about 5 weeks apart—using beet

leaves, Swiss chard, and peppers as a visual guide. If their leaves wilted and discol­

ored, I responded. I added a third feeding for the winter squash.
I also tried a fi sh-based liquid (see the Glossary on page 58) that comes in

concentrated form. Just add water and apply every couple of weeks. I’d walk

about with a long wand-like watering device attached to a pressurized tank, di­

recting the spray just at the union between soil and plant. Since my plants fl our­

ished, I can only assume this helped.

MY NEED-TO-KNOW LIST • 37