VOX POPULI: Spring's crops need protection from nature

Czech author Karel Capek (1890-1938) is known for introducing the word "robot" (in his 1921 play "R.U.R."). Contrary to my initial image of the man as a thoroughly mechanically oriented person, it turns out Capek was a passionate gardener.

In fact, he wrote a delightful book titled "The Gardener's Year," which is replete with observations that have me nodding vigorously in agreement. (The book has been translated into Japanese by Taro Komatsu.)

Capek notes, "I discovered that a real gardener does not grow flowers. He grows soil."

I am sure many gardeners agree completely. Preparing the soil thoroughly before planting is fundamental to floriculture around the world. The importance of soil preparation applies to vegetable farming, too.

This year again, I hoed my rented vegetable plot, spread lime and plowed in compost.

The ideal soil for a vegetable garden is said to meet two seemingly contradictory requirements: It must have both good drainage and good water retention.

It is always exciting to see a bud pushing through light, aerated soil. But even for an amateur vegetable grower like myself, there are many things to worry about this season.

The other day, a forecast of snow had me scrambling to cover my new potato buds with a layer of soil for protection.

Thankfully, the buds survived the unseasonable frost, but the unusually fickle weather this spring must be a tough challenge for full-time farmers.

The extremely unseasonable weather is said to be a boon for "vegetable factories," where temperatures, lighting and nourishment of plant food are all computer-controlled. The agriculture ministry is backing such facilities.

But the image of vegetables growing indoors under artificial lighting makes me think of a scene out of some science fiction work that would likely surprise even Capek were he still alive.

In his book, Capek preaches patience: "No amount of cursing will have any effect on the weather. In due time, flower buds will open and young sprouts will start growing, all in keeping with the laws of nature."

It must be reassuring to be able to depend on modern farming technologies that protect crops from the fickle Mother Nature.

But I'm not sure if I really like it that way, and perhaps that's because I'm only an amateur farmer, who can afford to be romantic about farming.

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 26

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.