Last time, we examined how the planning aspect of gardening relates to life.
This article will take a look at life from the perspective of the second aspect of gardening–the preparing stage.
As I’ve mentioned–and we all know at some level–gardening is hard. There are many challenges to overcome. However, the bounty of harvest, the satisfaction of seeing something through to the end, and the mystery of watching God’s creation come to life is worth the effort.
After having planned the garden, we now need to prepare the garden. This is the physical aspect of gardening. It is where we’ve consider the sun, shade, water, and the soil. It’s where we sweat to move and establish beds, turn compost bins, and amend the soil.
In life, we all know there is preparation. Many times, it feels like running in place. However, preparation is just as important as executing. It’s the training before the 1/2 marathon. It’s the late nights and early mornings before the presentation. It’s the sexual self-control in anticipation of marriage. It’s the forward thinking and methodical investing and saving toward the financial goal or upcoming responsibility. It’s the labor and work hoping it will pay off.
Back to the garden. To properly prepare a garden a minimum of the following actions must occur:
- Build or move beds to maximize the sun and shade.
- Weed in and around the garden area.
- Reapply wood chips around the garden beds to suppress weeds.
- Rework watering methods such as drip irrigation, overhead spray, etc. according to the planting plan.
- Get all your garden tools out and clean, oil (linseed for wood and basic lubricant for metal), and sharpen them.
- Repair broken tools or purchase new ones.
- Organize most used tools so that they’re accessible and ready when you are.
- Amend the soil depending upon your previous year’s planting.
- Purchase seed starting soil and start seeds indoors (purchase new seeds as necessary).
- Purchase transplants as they are ready for planting.
- Have someone you trust come over and constructively critique your garden plan and preparation.
This is hard work. It requires some monetary investment, but it’s giving yourself and your garden a leg-up before the planting season really kicks in.
Applications to Everyday Life
- Preparation is boring.
- Who likes to get up early and run in the rain? Who likes to review the same line over and over? Who likes to hit the keys 1,000 times on the same song? Who likes to study for an exam?
- Not many of us. However, it is the preparation that sets us up for the success that we all want–success.
- Preparation is not just activity.
- In their book, Peak, Anders Ericcson and Robert Pool, qualify Malcom Gladwell’s claim that 10,000 hours of practice will lead to being an expert by stating, “In pretty much any area of human endeavor, people have a tremendous capacity to improve their performance, as long as they train in the right way” (Peak, p. 113).
- Their point was that it’s not just putting in 10,000 hours of practice, but 10,000 hours of deliberate practice that has measurements and accountability built in.
- Preparation is built on discipline that forms habits; and proper habits lead to effectiveness.
- Discipline is needed, but not for as long as we think. We need enough discipline to develop a habit. Take brushing teeth. Discipline leads to habit, which leads to lower cavities and fewer crowns. Another example is discipline with getting up early. After a period of time of consistently waking up early, your body–circadian rhythm–will adjust.
- Thus, we need to focus on forming habits as we prepare for success in life.
Prepare your work outside
And make it ready for yourself in the field;
Afterwards, then, build your house.
Proverbs 24:27
Next time, we’ll look at the third stage (plant) in the garden process and draw applications to everyday life.
— March 8, 2022