Gardening Without the Gimmicks:

When I first started gardening, I felt compelled to try every technique: grow lights, winter sowing, trays, jugs, seed-starting mixes. Using too many at once left me exhausted and distracted. By focusing on fewer methods, I could truly observe which plants thrived, how volunteers behaved and which microclimates mattered most.

“Too many trays, too many mixes — I spent a week staring at seedlings instead of noticing which spots in the garden they preferred.”
How many have gone on vacation to come back to an overgrown garden? The garden thrived without any interference. :)

• Fewer containers and trays reduce clutter and effort
• Less experimentation allows better tracking of results
• Fewer “just in case” steps prevent wasted resources

A row of sunflowers under grow lights grew tall and spindly, while a handful left outside germinated sturdily and bloomed earlier.

Winter sowing perennials in Milk Jugs - what a waste of time.

It’s tempting to think that giving seeds a head start indoors guarantees stronger plants. For some annuals or tender crops, this is true. But many hardy perennials — sunflowers, hollyhocks, lupins, cosmos, delphiniums — do better when they follow nature’s timing. Overhelping can create spindly seedlings that struggle when transplanted outdoors. Observing these plants in my Zone 6 garden taught me patience often outperforms intervention.

“Sometimes the best growth happens when I do nothing at all.”

Example: Lupins sown outdoors in fall sprouted on their own in spring, stronger and more colorful than those started in soil blocks under lights. The benefit of growing them indoors - snails and slugs didn't eat them at the seedling stage. I usually have tons of lupin seeds.

Trusting natural cues strengthens seedlings and reduces unnecessary effort and expense.

Through trial and error, I learned which plants benefit from indoor starting and which don’t. I now leave hardy self-seeders and many perennials to germinate outdoors. They develop stronger roots, resist disease better, and survive winter more reliably than those forced indoors.

“Nature’s timing beats my calendar every time.”

• Hollyhocks, lupins, snapdragons, asters, feverfew, sunflowers and cosmos
• Self-seeding annuals that naturally thrive in my garden
• Plants sensitive to transplanting stress

Example: Cosmos volunteers appeared exactly where they wanted, requiring zero intervention — a reminder that forcing them inside had been unnecessary.

Instead of chasing seasonal projects or gimmicks, I focus on creating spaces that last. A dedicated nursery bed, self-seeding zones, or observation areas give plants stability and allow me to learn from their growth patterns. The permanent nature of these spaces reduces ongoing labour and gives reliable results year after year. Before I had a designated place - I call it a nursery bed - for seedlings - I used empty spaces between shrubs.

“A nursery bed that waits quietly through winter is more reliable than a dozen temporary containers.”

• Dedicated nursery beds — learn more here
• Self-seeding zones that let volunteers do their work
• Observation areas to study natural growth and spacing

Example: After dedicating one corner of the garden as a nursery bed, seedlings thrived and transplanted easily, compared to spindly plants in pots.

I still use grow lights — but only for crops that need a true head start, such as vegetables or tender annuals. For perennials and hardy volunteers, artificial light can be unnecessary or counterproductive. Extra effort and cost often do not match the long-term benefit. Letting nature guide growth produces healthier plants with less intervention.

“Lights are heat loving plants, not for teaching perennials resilience.”

Example: While my peppers, eggplants, love the grow lights, hollyhocks under the same setup became thin-stemmed. Moving them outdoors yielded sturdier plants. Learn practical seed starting tips here.

Some of the best lessons come from watching volunteers — plants that self-seed and find their own space. Observing where they naturally thrive revealed:

“Let the plants pick their own spot — they usually get it right.”

Expect for my herbs - I find them in the lawn and paths. I just dig them up and put them back where they belong and sometimes they die. ;)

• Which microclimates in my garden are most suitable
• How natural spacing affects survival
• Which species are truly adapted to my conditions

Example: A lone sunflower seeded itself behind the shed and outperformed all seedlings I carefully nurtured in trays.

It’s easy to celebrate germination or first blooms, but long-term survival and resilience matter far more. I now evaluate success by:

“First bloom isn’t the finish line; winter survival is.”

• Year-two and year-three plant performance
• Winter survival and stress tolerance
• Less ongoing maintenance for stronger plants

Example: Some seedlings that bloomed quickly in spring didn’t survive harsh Zone 6 winters, while slow starters thrived into the second year.