What is the most challenging part in planting?
-  “ For me, the hardest part of gardening is the preparation, and I wouldn’t say that it was “hard” necessarily, just that if I don’t put enough preparation into my garden, the upkeep is hard. Weeds are a huge problem in a garden that isn’t properly prepared. In my garden plots that were “double-dug” and the soil amended with all of the compost, minerals, soil conditioner and other materials needed for healthy plants, the garden is almost effortless to keep up. In a garden plot that was tilled and planted, the weeds become a nightmare and cause excessive hoeing, tilling, pulling, as well as choking out immature vegetables. Some weeds also take a lot of water and fertilizer from my desirable plants. Watering is challenging if the soil wasn’t properly prepared. In a garden that is prepared for deep, strong, plant roots, water is available once the plants are established. Other than major flooding or major drought, most plants, if planted properly (proper soil, sunlight, fertilizer, companions, mulch,etc.) do not require much effort with a little observation.  Having a garden that is too large for me to keep up with is definitely hard! Planting it too far away from where it is easy to access makes it even more difficult. I believe that a garden should be the size that I can manage in a location where I can see it and visit it easily on a regular basis during the growing season. Plants like blueberries, asparagus, strawberries, grapes, pears, rosemary, thyme, and sage are easy and reliable in my region.

Gardening, in my opinion, should not be HARD, it should be a rewarding experience and the garden should be a place to enjoy. In order to create a garden that is rewarding, relaxing, and rejuvenating, I spend time planting the garden plot. I choose the plants to be installed, and take the time to prepare a deep, fertile, well-drained (but moist), weed-free bed. The worked soil is deep enough that roots will dig deep into the soil to access water, and it is amended enough that water will not stand, preventing aeration and oxygen in the soil. It is mulched enough that weeds are unlikely to come up, and if they do, they are easy to pull out. Utilizing companion planting assists in keeping plants healthy, pest-free, and flavorful.  I can say that planting is a difficult thing to do but at the end of the day, everything will be worth it."

- The most challenging part is the process in which you need to keep your plant healthy and not get withered. You always need to keep an eye on them because the leaves can get eaten by insects. It is also challenging to me to maintain a root crop plant to stay healthy because it is my first time doing it.

Question 2: What is the most challenging part in planting?
- Aside from the mere fact that planting itself is a challenge, getting rid of ants and aphids away from the plants is another thing. I have to check them regularly if there are pests bugging them so that I can take necessary actions right away.