The day before yesterday I found out that my thumbs have just a little green to them after all. All these years I really thought that genetic trait skipped me...but judging by the progress my small garden is making, it turns out I have a little bit of a green thumb!
I have tried repeatedly to start plants by seed to no avail. It turns out that I either wasn't giving them enough water, or the birds were eating them as soon as I was putting them out like a fourth grader eating halloween candy.
This month I made the decision to try to do it the right way. I gathered the necessary ingredients and went to work slowly. I inched in to the gardener nook, by starting with small vegetables already a few inches tall, such as tomatoes, peppers, and basil. I was hopeful that I would be able to do it as a real 'gardener' and bought a few packages of seeds. On Mother's Day my older brother came by for diner and also helped me get started. He was a little on the pessimistic side when it came to the cantaloupe though...but I told him not to doubt my budding ability. I still haven't planted the cantaloupe, but I intend too. That day we started the lettuce and a few of the green bean seeds. I made sure to water them daily, and was getting pretty discouraged up until this past Sunday, when I noticed that the green beans were over three inches and the lettuce had sprouted! I am super excited to get the back yard cleared and actually plant garden beds. As of right now I am dealing specifically in pots.
I have a few Mango trees, Avocado trees, and a whole lot of Rangpur limes, a Banana tree, dozens of orchids, some roses (that aren't doing very well), and left over poinsetta plants from Christmas. All of which need to be planted in the ground with my vegetables. I even have a few Jojoba bushes and a Rambutan tree. All of which (except the vegetables) are compliments of my brother. I'm not going to mention how many trees I've already killed that he has abandoned on the farm, it's just nice to know that I am finally able to grow something!
I can't believe that you are even questioning whether or not you have a green thumb! You were the only one in college that I knew who could grow African Violets - and the would actually survive and keep blooming. In fact, I think you rescued a number of them from people like me who really don't have a green thumb:)
ReplyDeleteI forgot about that! Compared to my family I really feel like i don't...though my garden is starting to really come around. I just need to find a way to keep the sluggs off my vegetables!
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