Guessing About The Future Of Gardening

A woman dances on grass holding a glass globe
(Image credit: Martin Barraud / Getty Images)

Have you ever wondered what your future might look like? Most of us have, and some of us have even gone so far as to have a psychic reading, have our cards read, or other types of paranormal consultation.

When you think of how many factors go into the making of a human life (health, love, money, interests, etc.) it seems a tall order for one person to accurately see another’s future life path. Now if we were to take it down to a single factor -- say gardening, because that is indeed the subject of conversation here -- what is the future of gardening?

The Future of Gardening

I like to ponder this question simply because I’m not sure what I’m having for lunch yet, but to really get down to the nuts and bolts of the question it would be helpful to know how far in the future we’re talking?

If the future is defined as “in the not foreseeable, I’m likely going to be dead” time frame, then I think we will have AI toiling away on a distant planet; a planet the remainder of the human race will have settled after we’ve destroyed our little blue marble.

If I can push my negativity aside and think more in the present time frame, I’d guess most of us will be gardening as usual next year.

The Not Too Distant Future

If we push that time frame out to say twenty five years from now, well I hope things will be different. I hope as a rule the home gardener and commercial grower will refrain from using any chemical controls and garden in a sustainable manner.

I think the ever increasing number of people who grow their own food will increase exponentially, but that’s already happening so I’m obviously no soothsayer. I’m guessing this means there will be new ways to grow food in small spaces, making gardening even more accessible to those with small dwellings.

Gardening will be less about acreage and more about growing up, up, up or even underground. Plants will likely be hardier, requiring less irrigation, supplemental fertilizer, and less space.

If we continue to allow genetically modified food to be produced, who knows what science will come up with? A bit more tinkering with the gene pool and soon plants won’t need sun to survive, which might be a good thing given the status of our planet.

Lest I get preachy, because I can get a whole lot more so, I will leave the future of gardening to just that: the future. I’m not one that wants my palm read or wants to gaze into a sphere to find out how much longer I have to live. Life is all about the surprises – both good and bad. It’s like reading a good book and finding the end of the novel in the first chapter. If you already know how it ends, why read it?

Amy Grant
Writer

Amy Grant has been gardening for 30 years and writing for 15. A professional chef and caterer, Amy's area of expertise is culinary gardening.