I've only lived in apartments since becoming a grownup.
So I had plants, in little pots. And I've learned I have a black thumb. I've killed many an orchid, African violet, baby Arica palm, and even a cactus!
But I still want a garden! And I'm determined to find something that won't kill my chances of getting my full security deposit back and that our precious-yet-giant doggy can't attack!
And then I found this on Re-Nest [Apartment Therapy's wonderful spinoff for green living]:
It's a Simple Garden, and it can grow anywhere! And not die!
And one day, when I can prove I haven't killed anything, and when I get a yard, I can have my flower garden.
Do you have a green thumb or a black thumb? What would be your best advice for a beginner gardener?
Water your plants, dear.
ReplyDeleteI overwater mine and kill them that way. I also dream of a garden. But I have a fake lawn in the back. That's how I roll. Let me know if this works, I love the idea!
ReplyDeleteMiracle Grow! Aerated dirt! Sunlight! Aqua globes!
ReplyDeletetwo years ago I grew a row of sunflowers that were all nine or ten feet tall. It' was insane...they were like trees. Also grew zucchini that were 18 inches long and 4 inches in diameter.
I am somewhere in between...I think? Our plants were doing okay until they were MURDERED (not by me). Have you looked into getting drought-resistant plants? If you forget to water them they won't die!
ReplyDeleteI started gardening this time last year. Over the past year, I have harvested brocolli, radishes, beetroot, tomatoes, broadbeans, spinach, cucumber, zucchini and pumpkin. I have also killed two fruit trees, rockmelon, watermelon, capsicum, spaghetti vegetable and onion. Oh well, you win some, you lose some..especially when you're learning! My advice would be, feed the soil, not the plant. Add compost, compost and more compost.
ReplyDeleteI can grow plants really well (except basil. Basil hates me. I kill it just by looking at it) & then every summer, no matter what I do, they all die, so I'd given up.
ReplyDeleteI have to start again now because Gabe got given a tree at his baptism presentation, & I'm not allowed to let that one die because it's *his*, not mine. It's a native tree through, so it should be pretty tough at least!
I have noticed how paying attention to labels makes a huge difference in my ability to keep a plant alive. Simply making sure to check how much water a specific plant needs (instead of watering all my plants at once) and the type of lighting makes all the difference, but this kit looks pretty nice and easy!
ReplyDeleteSince moving up here to SB, all of my plants have been happier, although I always struggle, especially with basil. I'm an awful gardener... forget to water, overwater, not sure which plants want which type of light, etc.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of that kit.
Just remember the sign Laura has in her yard: "Grow, dammit!"