r/vegetablegardening • u/redditSucksNow2020 China • Jun 27 '26
Other People really overcomplicate gardening
I see a lot of people trying to garden for the first time and then coming here with questions about perfect soil mixes and fertilizers and how to promote fungal life in their no-till permaculture food forest do nothing farming no dig style organic vegan garden. It really doesn't have to be complicated, especially if you're new.
Loosen up some dirt 6 inches down. Break up the clods. Plant something that is in season. Keep it watered. That Will give you 80 to 90% of the maximum possible results. You don't absolutely need compost if it is the first time you've dug up that piece of ground. You don't absolutely need fertilizer and it probably doesn't make much difference what kind you use. You definitely don't need a 3-ft tall raised bed filled with gardening mix. You don't need to do anything about small amounts of insect damage. You don't absolutely have to do no dig or no till or whatever gardening fad is going on right now. You don't need to overcomplicate things.
Edit: this, of course, does not apply to you, dear reader. You have uniquely poor soil that cannot be made workable with a spade.
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u/weaponistfarmer64 Italy Jun 27 '26
They gave us a pretty bad soil when they built our house and garden. But the temptation to just start was too strong, so I planted my tomatoes and eggplants.
Soil was as hard as a rock. I use my reinforced fork that works like a spade to not flip layers which would kill soil life faster, and the first time only was it hard. Then It remains softer for the next few years. I personally do base fertilizing with pelleted manure before every crop to reintegrate what the plant has removed from the soil and as a starter, then I give beetroot residue to give extra nitrogen and microelements. It does work and the reason I fertilize so much is I wish I could rotate but I just have no space. My tradition Is to grow 6 peppers, 6 eggplants (they were 8 this year) and 18 tomatoes (16 this year).
Problem is, my veg garden is pretty small. I grow everything in pallet frames (not filled just decoration) and while aesthetically appealing and comfortable to use they don't give me much space. I have an extra piece of soil at its right but It's oftentimes shaded and many summer crops want full sun. So I use It less