Things I Have Learned About Gardening

This year, dear reader, is the first year I have taken gardening and caring for plants seriously. I have always said I have a black thumb instead of a green one, but I do believe that my poor gardening skills were simply a lack of effort. I mean, don't get me wrong, gardening does not come to me naturally at all. However, I have discovered that by doing some research, asking questions, asking for help, and putting in real effort, I can keep plants alive. Dare I say it, they're even thriving. I don't want to jinx myself by getting too confident. 

Rather than focusing on this year's losses, I am trying to focus on what I have gained and learned. So, today's blog will be about the things I have learned about gardening. It's not really that long of a list. The things I don't know are way longer than the things I have learned. However, I have learned a little bit and look forward to learning more. 

First, I have learned that anything can be accomplished if one sets one's mind to it. I don't believe I will ever become a master gardener like some of my friends or people I admire, but I do think I can be an adept gardener. I have learned that one cannot just dump a plant in the ground and expect it to live. Like people, plants require healthy environments to thrive. I have learned to amend the soil with compost, sand, and humus. Composting is an art in and of itself. Maybe not an art, maybe more of a science-based skill...but it feels like an art form to this novice. Aged chicken poop and goat poop are a plant's friend. Testing soil for drainage is something I can now do, and I can improve the drainage by adding the above.

Secondly, and probably most surprisingly, gardening is hard work, like really hard. I spend a few hours each week weeding my newly planted groundcover. After the first day, I felt as if I had run a mile AND lifted too much weight. My body was sore. I shared this comparison with one bib-overall-wearing smart ass. His response was, "How do you know what that feels like?" Sigh. I responded that I haven't always been old, chubby, and inactive... and followed it with a high-flying middle finger. But seriously, gardening is physically taxing. Digging holes, being on your knees, lifting heavy things, raking, shoveling, and pulling all work muscles I had forgotten existed. 

Next, gardening takes focus. Focus is not my strong suit. I forget to water myself, let alone a poor plant stuck in a pot in my house. I make up little rhymes to remember to water my plants on Wednesday, because water and Wednesday begin with W. Also, I read that plants give off a high-pitched scream that human ears can't hear when they are dying of thirst. That, dear reader, has stuck with me. I don't like causing any living thing harm, let alone a reason to scream. It kind of freaks me out. So, I make up silly rhymes about watering plants, not water in my pants, and thus far it has worked. 

I have also learned that moderation is the key to successful gardening. Too much water drowns a plant; not enough causes it to scream (so freaky); too much food will harm the plant; not enough will starve the plant; and every plant has sunlight preferences. I can't make a plant that loves a lot of sun happy if I put it in my dark kitchen, and I can't make a plant that doesn't like direct sunlight happy if I put it in my living room. This is where reading has been very helpful. 

Also, I've learned that not all bugs are bad. Again, reading has helped me with this. There are little ladybugs that are thriving in my groundcover. Ladybugs are good. White little bugs on the underside of a leaf are bad...aphids. Not everything responds well to my more-is-more approach. I can treat pests with natural methods rather than hit them with a full arsenal of chemicals to make them go away. Take, for example, my magnolia tree. It had magnolia scab. I ignored it for two years. It began to die, in small increments. I read about magnolia scab, the life cycle, the stages of progress, and how to treat it. Because I had ignored it for two years, the scab had really thrived. I sprayed the leaves and branches with a natural blend that suffocated the scabs. However, I needed to go a step further and applied a pesticide around the perimeter of the tree, just where the branches end. This had to be done in the early spring before the bees came out and the sap began moving. I followed the directions to a T, and lo and behold, the tree lived, is growing new branches, and is making blossoms. I feel quite proud of myself for saving Molly. I name my plants because naming them creates a bond, and I take better care of them. 

Speaking of critters, I have also discovered I really like toads. Toads are thriving in my ground cover, and I find that when I am weeding and I see a toad, I am thrilled. I leave them alone because nothing likes to be handled against its will. However, I talk to them, say hello, tell them I'm happy to see them in my ground cover eating bugs, and I hope they are happy. I never thought I would enjoy seeing toads or being near them. I take toads as a good sign that it's a healthy environment. I have also decided I am going to stop hating snakes. I mean, I don't think I will ever be happy to see a snake, but I don't have to fear it. I keep telling myself it's just another critter that means the environment is good and they are doing a beneficial job. I still don't want any in my house or buildings. However, if I see one out in the wild, I am not going to scream and pee my pants. At least, I'm going to make every effort not to do that. 

Lastly, dear reader, I have found that pulling weeds, digging holes, and getting physically tired are good for my mental health. When I feel sad or angry over our losses this year, I pull weeds and envision it's A) the people who ruined the market, B) it's all my sadness and loss, C) I'm making a beautiful place for the people I love. It works. 

So, overall, I feel that gardening is something I am learning to enjoy. I think that when it is actually time to plant beautiful flowers and trees, I will be more enthusiastic. Pulling weeds feels overwhelming, tiresome, and thankless. However, when I plant my orchard this fall, and my hedgerow, and my hummingbird garden in the front of the house, I do believe I will actually enjoy it and find it very satisfying. I think I like it, and as long as I can maintain my focus, I think my plants will like me. 

The planning aspect of gardening really appeals to me. I enjoy researching plants that thrive in our zone, which I also learned is zone 6b. I enjoy drawing out planting plots on graph paper and writing down each plant's attributes and care instructions. I need a detailed plan, or I simply forget. I wish I could retain information the way Eric does. If I don't write it down, it's lost. However, creating careful, detailed plans is my idea of fun. I can't wait to see them in actuality. 

If you have any advice, I would love to hear it. I'm a blank page as far as gardening goes. Who knows, maybe someday I will join a gardening club. Until then, I will just enjoy learning at my own pace.

On this August Monday, stay safe, be smart, enjoy learning and the process, and keep washing your hands.