This is the part that usually scares most prospective backyard gardeners. Believe me, it scared me too. Weeds need to be controlled. Water needs to be maintained. Pets must be controlled. And the garden needs a regular caretaker to keep things under control.

Take heart. My approach to gardening has been to keep my time requirement at a minimum. For instance, using mulch as described in the Double Dig or Not section can virtually eliminate weeds. After using a rather inefficient sprinkler watering method, plan to use a soaker hose next. That will greatly improve your watering method without having to come back to move the sprinkler midway during its watering cycle. Pests can be controlled naturally as much as possible and an early alert system will help reduce that problem as well.

As for being the regular caretaker, I located the garden near the back of the house so I could easily get to it on my way out the door in the morning. Try doing the same. While you can't print the vegetable cards from my Gardener's Friend HyperCard stack nor the month cards in the Gardener's List HyperCard stack, you can devise a way to take notes as well. Those printouts were kept on a clipboard near my workbench. I simply put on my gum shoes or a waterproof shoe or boot and completed an inspection with the clipboard almost daily during the peak season. I made my notes directly on each vegetable card and into the monthly planner so I could track and plan for upcoming seasons.

I can only tell you of the incredible solitude and joy I experienced during those inspections. It never ceases to amaze me how tiny little seeds can blossom into producing plants virtually right before my eyes. That's one of the times when I feel particularly satisfied about gardening. And of course, if there is anything that demands further attention, I can plan for it later that day or earlier the next morning as required (That's my Early Alert System- leisurely check for problems each day and then plan to reserve time to fix anything that's gone wrong at a later and more convenient time).

If you can get a garden going and maintain it without overburdening yourself, you can experience one of life's simple pleasures right in your own back yard. My advice is to start small, keep good notes on your activities and plan a controlled expansion each season as you get more comfortable.

Don't rush it. Probably the worst thing you can do is over plant and end up with a garden that becomes a burden. Plan carefully and the rewards, both physical and mental, will be yours, year after year.