There's an old saying; one years seeds, seven years weeds. Well, the same could be said for my gardening technique. A few years ago when I was setting up my vegie patch, my mother-in-law planted some spinach in a pot for me. Each year I let it go to seed and watch with interest where it takes hold. I do the same with my parsley and lettuce. The only assistance I give them is occassionally when I am walking past I will grab a handful of seeds and scatter them somewhere else in the garden. I have much more luck with this lazy form of gardening than I do with seeds that I have planted according to the instructions on the packet.
In this photo I am standing next to my spinach and silverbeet which is going to seed. On the left of the spinach and silverbeet are some parsley, also going to seed.
Picking produce grown from plants that have self seeded is the closest thing to having a free lunch. I water the plants and put some seaweed extract and organic fertilizer on them, and that's pretty much all the attention they get from me...apart from picking the snails off them.
I find that the plants grow very well, perhaps it has something to do with nature deciding where they will grow best in the garden rather than interference from me. That's the way I prefer my garden to grow.
