Time in the Garden

An article by Rachel    1 Comment

Many garden novices seem to be overwhelmed at the time investment in gardening.  I can tell you it doesn’t take that much time, but I finally realized I need to quantify it.

So last week, I recorded every moment spent in the garden.  I chose mid-August because it is a typically busy time – weeding, watering, planting, and harvesting all call out for attention.   If any time is busier, it might be spring, when beds need to be turned over.

Thursday: 15 minutes harvest + 20 minutes water peach trees (15 minutes idle)

Friday: 75 minutes harvest, tie up tomatoes, remove squash plants, plant beets, water

Just a little time yields all these goodies!

Saturday: 15 minutes harvest

Sunday: idle

Monday: idle

Tuesday: 45 minutes harvest, disassemble potato box and water

Wednesday: 15 minutes harvest

The grand total is 185 minutes, or 3 hours 5 minutes.  Keep in mind that our garden is ~105 square feet raised beds and ~60 square feet in-ground beds.  Beginning gardeners would likely start with less square footage and therefore could expect to spend less time weekly.

Many people already spend a few hours sitting on the patio or in the backyard during the week.  Imagine adding just a little activity to your routine and being rewarded with tasty produce!