Question

Why Maintaining a Garden is Challenging
A. Gautam

Have you heard of the phrase “green thumb”? It is used to refer to someone who is good at gardening. Some people seem to produce fruits, vegetables, and herbs for their family or neighborhood. However, not everyone is capable. Gardening takes knowledge, practice, and lots of patience. Not to mention, it takes a lot of time and expense. There are many obstacles to overcome in order to become a successful gardener.

Expense
Not everyone has a big, sunny backyard. Even pots and soil are expenses that not everyone can afford. If one is to garden in a raised bed, extra expenses occur. Regardless, rich organic topsoil is necessary for crops to grow well. Think about whether the expense you put into gardening is worth the produce you can get. Not everyone can afford to waste time and cash in gardening.

Commitment
Plants do not grow like in the story of Jack and the beanstalk. Seeds need to be carefully planted. Weekly planting, thinning, weeding, harvesting, and pruning is needed. Depending on the climate, plants need to be watered daily or twice a day. The time commitment should be taken into consideration before committing to a garden. Remember that water bill also adds up. Besides, taking long vacations without arranging for a neighbor to water your plants can result in the death of plants and waste of all the hard work.

Disappointment
Gardening should be seen as a hobby. You shouldn’t expect much from the first-time efforts. This way, various stages of failure wouldn’t result in too much disappointment. For example, even after you grow tomatoes, birds will eat your hard work. Snails and other insects will get to fruits of your labor before you know it.

Knowledge
Starting a small garden without proper knowledge or guidance is a terrible idea. You need to know about what grows well in your area and how to grow it well. You will need information about growing season, how to best plant, like in rows or with trellises, when to water, where to place the seedlings, etc. You cannot plant without preparation and expect results days, weeks, or even months later. Gardening is not for just anyone.
What does commitment mean as it is used in paragraph 3?
A Agreement to do something in the future
B Arrangement to do something weekly
C Agreement to take care of something
D Arrangement for a long-term friendship

Answer 1

C — Agreement to take care of something. The paragraph describes obligations like planting, watering, weeding, and arranging care while on vacation, so "commitment" refers to the responsibility to care for the garden.