I'm the worlds laziest gardener. I fertilize with whatever is cheapest maybe once a year, some years I completely skip. I used to keep everything relatively weed free but I got older (or wiser). I don't use pesticides (except dormant sprays) or herbicides although I did use a lot of Roundup back in my weed free days.
I compost but whatever is available is what's in the stack. Around here, you try hard not to have a hot compost pile because they literally catch fire, usually when a lot of green grass is added. I'm safe, no lawn.
I love chard but can't stand kale or arugula. I plant rainbow chard, parsley and herbs wherever there's a bare spot. The kids planted the orchard with carrots and asparagus. A few years ago, I moved the entire vegetable garden to the orchard. So much easier. The squirrels added Gladiolus for color.
