Reviewing my notes, which I had collected for decades, I was able to compile them into 10 theses, which can be referred to as the ten guidelines of a gardener.
Here are the commandments:
Don't be scared to invest on something worthwhile! Good planting material, good nursery stock, decent seeds, even if they cost more, will be cheaper in the end than inexpensive but inferior items. The phrase says, "What you buy cheaply, you pay dearly!"
Don't hésiter à dépenser sur quelque chose de bénéfique! Le bon matériau de plantation, le bon stock de graines, les bons semences, même si elles coûtent plus cher, seront finalement moins coûteux que les produits chers mais inférieurs. On dit : ce que vous achetez à prix réduit, vous payez cher!
Avoid being wasteful! Expensive paint-coated artificial garden fence, flower pegs, espaliers, and other such items will serve no greater purpose than much basic, less expensive alternatives.
Il ne faut pas gaspiller! La fencing de jardin artificielle, les stakes de fleurs, les espaliers, etc., peints avec une peinture coûteuse, ne sera pas plus utile que les beaucoup plus simples et moins coûteux.
Sow and plant according to the local climate and soil makeup. What works well in Paris, London, or Berlin will not work as well in Oslo, Helsinki, and other locations. Good native species and kinds will always be preferable to alien ones unsuitable to the environment.
Apportez vos souches et vos plantations à la météo locale et à la composition du sol. Quelqu'un qui réussit à Paris, Londres ou Berlin ne réussira pas aussi bien à Oslo, Helsinki, etc. Les espèces natives et les variétés locales seront toujours supérieures aux espèces étrangères qui ne correspondent pas aux conditions.
If you take care of and nourish the land, it will take care of you. For gardening purposes, fallow manure works better than any artificial manure; part of this is also enhanced by properly loosening the soil.
Keep plants from suffering from dryness. Water still works wonders, as does timing your plant watering.
Try out new types and species in tiny batches! Keep and grow what turns out to be good while discarding what is poor and inferior!
Don't get carried away with pricey news! What is excellent among them will find its own way, become more affordable, and accessible to all.
Don't forget to balance your income and spending at the end of each year!
Legislate for the garden's well-being and happiness, and record it as revenue, but dismiss any failures and cheats; that is when things go wrong.
Don't dismiss excellent advise, but don't ignore your own common sense.
Don't be embarrassed to seek help from a neighbour if you don't know anything yourself, and don't assume you know everything, since you may wind up knowing very little.
Don't put off until tomorrow what you can accomplish right now! In horticulture, it is quite significant. There's never enough time. What may be done successfully now may be too late tomorrow.
