Reader comment: "I have a brown thumb."
You know what? So did I. Nothing I planted before 2009 grew. I can't even grow mold. When I had an aquarium, there was a parasitic plant I liked that most people hate, so I would get some from the pet store and put it in my tank, and it would die. Though I've always been quite good with lawns, I must say. Particularly since even dandelions don't want to grow in my yard.
And yet, it's now working for me. So in case anyone is looking to me as a gardening guru, I thought I'd share what I think might be the secrets to such success as I have now.
First of all, containers. It's way easier to garden in containers than in-ground gardens, because potting soil is healthier, and you have complete control over the conditions. I particularly like containers with a false bottom, that way they drain into themselves and don't need a saucer. So you fill the container with potting soil, pack it down, and then saturate it with water until it drains out the bottom. Then you fluff the surface with a fork, and away you go.
Second, seeds. Like I keep saying, they're much cheaper than bulbs or nursery plants. When you get 50 seeds for $3, you can afford to let 49 of them die, really. And it's a lot less demoralizing to plant 50 seeds and have 2 survive, than to plant one nursery plant and watch it die a slow and painful death. Seeds are tiny and they die quietly under the dirt where no one cares, and if you have a success rate of 4%, that's more than enough, whereas with nursery plants, you need almost 100% success to feel happy.
Third, I plant wildflowers. Because they're essentially weeds. My theory is, the difference between a weed and a flower is that a weed is something that grows when you don't want it to, whereas a flower is something that refuses to grow when you want it to. And the difference between wildflowers and weeds is, a wildflower grows in the wild, whereas a weed grows in your garden. So if you plant weeds and call them flowers instead, all of a sudden you're a great gardener. So that's what I did. The first year, I planted morning glories, cornflowers, and a "wildflower mix". All these are weeds, so they were easy to grow. In additon, the wildflower mix was awesome because I had no idea what was in it, so I couldn't very well be disappointed, and by making a note of what came up that I liked, I had an instant list of pretty flowers that I knew would grow under the conditions I provide.
And fourth, don't negotiate with your plants. For the longest time, I tried to follow all the crazy instructions, and nothing worked. Then one day I thought "I'm done letting you bully me, you plants. I throw you in the dirt, you either turn into a flower or die. See if I care." So I threw them in the dirt. Some died. The ones who are happy with the way things are done at my house lived. Then I planted more of the same, because I knew they'd grow at my house. And I think that's really the key to success. All plants have some ideas of how much light, water, sand, fertilizer, blah blah blah, whatever they want. I don't want to listen to their demands. But if I only grow plants that want the exact conditions I provide, then they'll thrive without any effort on my part. Fiendishly simple, isn't it?
So my advice is, if you have a brown thumb and still want to garden, get a big container, fill it with good quality potting soil, sow a mix of wildflower seeds, put it in a sunny spot, and leave it alone. Most wildflowers don't like a lot of water, so what I do is, I shake the container. Soil is light; water is heavy. So if the container feels heavy, it's still wet. If it feels light, it needs water. Or if the plants are drooping, it needs water. I use a nice all-purpose water-soluble fertilizer which I add to the water every time I water. And that's about it. Then once your first wildflowers grow, you'll know exactly what your garden is suitable for, and you can buy plants that will work for you.
You know what? So did I. Nothing I planted before 2009 grew. I can't even grow mold. When I had an aquarium, there was a parasitic plant I liked that most people hate, so I would get some from the pet store and put it in my tank, and it would die. Though I've always been quite good with lawns, I must say. Particularly since even dandelions don't want to grow in my yard.
And yet, it's now working for me. So in case anyone is looking to me as a gardening guru, I thought I'd share what I think might be the secrets to such success as I have now.
First of all, containers. It's way easier to garden in containers than in-ground gardens, because potting soil is healthier, and you have complete control over the conditions. I particularly like containers with a false bottom, that way they drain into themselves and don't need a saucer. So you fill the container with potting soil, pack it down, and then saturate it with water until it drains out the bottom. Then you fluff the surface with a fork, and away you go.
Second, seeds. Like I keep saying, they're much cheaper than bulbs or nursery plants. When you get 50 seeds for $3, you can afford to let 49 of them die, really. And it's a lot less demoralizing to plant 50 seeds and have 2 survive, than to plant one nursery plant and watch it die a slow and painful death. Seeds are tiny and they die quietly under the dirt where no one cares, and if you have a success rate of 4%, that's more than enough, whereas with nursery plants, you need almost 100% success to feel happy.
Third, I plant wildflowers. Because they're essentially weeds. My theory is, the difference between a weed and a flower is that a weed is something that grows when you don't want it to, whereas a flower is something that refuses to grow when you want it to. And the difference between wildflowers and weeds is, a wildflower grows in the wild, whereas a weed grows in your garden. So if you plant weeds and call them flowers instead, all of a sudden you're a great gardener. So that's what I did. The first year, I planted morning glories, cornflowers, and a "wildflower mix". All these are weeds, so they were easy to grow. In additon, the wildflower mix was awesome because I had no idea what was in it, so I couldn't very well be disappointed, and by making a note of what came up that I liked, I had an instant list of pretty flowers that I knew would grow under the conditions I provide.
And fourth, don't negotiate with your plants. For the longest time, I tried to follow all the crazy instructions, and nothing worked. Then one day I thought "I'm done letting you bully me, you plants. I throw you in the dirt, you either turn into a flower or die. See if I care." So I threw them in the dirt. Some died. The ones who are happy with the way things are done at my house lived. Then I planted more of the same, because I knew they'd grow at my house. And I think that's really the key to success. All plants have some ideas of how much light, water, sand, fertilizer, blah blah blah, whatever they want. I don't want to listen to their demands. But if I only grow plants that want the exact conditions I provide, then they'll thrive without any effort on my part. Fiendishly simple, isn't it?
So my advice is, if you have a brown thumb and still want to garden, get a big container, fill it with good quality potting soil, sow a mix of wildflower seeds, put it in a sunny spot, and leave it alone. Most wildflowers don't like a lot of water, so what I do is, I shake the container. Soil is light; water is heavy. So if the container feels heavy, it's still wet. If it feels light, it needs water. Or if the plants are drooping, it needs water. I use a nice all-purpose water-soluble fertilizer which I add to the water every time I water. And that's about it. Then once your first wildflowers grow, you'll know exactly what your garden is suitable for, and you can buy plants that will work for you.
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