All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Grow
Gardening 101
There is hope. I’ve been having some serious doubt about my housewife skills up until now. Turns out I do have a special ability after all… a green thumb.
I started gardening and was really struggling at first as I had a lot to learn. But through some adjustments, many mistakes and a few deaths I have some thriving plants!!
I would love to share with you a little about all of my children and all of their special needs…
First, I’ll start with my basil. My beloved basil plant that sits in my window above my sink. The girl is LIVING her best life. Shes robust and keeps growing! I’m not making enough pasta sauce to keep up with her. I water her a little bit in the morning and a little at night and she’s very happy. She doesn’t ask for a lot and I appreciate that.
My fiancé (who I’m going to call Mr. Man from now on because we’ve come to the terms that were going to be engaged for a very long time and it’s a long word that includes extra formatting- let’s be real.) So Mr. Man suggested moving Mrs. Basil and I told him that’s basically committing murder. She’s clearly happy where she is- if it’s not broken don’t fix it. This is a good rule of thumb.
Next up is the plant that’s nearest and dearest to my heart… my tomato plant. She loves a little fertilizer every few weeks and the most sun. I must admit I’m not watering her enough because I planted her in our backyard and it requires a few extra steps for me to get to her. She is on drip irrigation so it’s not like shes totally neglected. Regardless, she’s still got a least 6 tomatoes growing!! Even one that’s almost ready to pick!
We also planted a lemon tree in our backyard and it’s still very young. BUT she’s growing some lemons already! I also give her a little bit of fertilizer every few weeks and she’s on drip irrigation, however I have learned that this fancy lady does not like a lot of water so I skip her on my daily watering rotation.
There’s a huge rosemary plant in front of the house and I don’t know if you really have to do anything with those. I haven’t watered her… she may be on drip irrigation, but it’s one of those things where she keeps growing and I don’t want to mess that up. I usually cut a few sprigs off for cooking!
Now there was a mystery tree growing on the side of our house. In the winter when we first moved in we didn’t think anything of it. Then it started to bloom red round fruit. At first, they looked like apples because they were shiny, but once they started to drop we realized they were soft. We cut one open and it had a huge pit… we thought maybe it was a plum? But it’s not as soft as one… we asked the expert (my mom) and learned it was a PLUOT!
A pluot… a hybrid between a plum and an apricot.
I know! I didn’t know these things existed either. Pretty fascinating. These pluots are AMAZING, very juicy and flavorful. As for maintenance, I’m not doing anything for this tree as it was here before me and I’m just respecting its space.
I think with trees you don’t need to water them as much. It’s working for me… thoughts?
There are also big basins of lavender and jasmine growing in our yard. Both of which were also here before me. There is drip irrigation so they’re also just chillen too.
I also got a few small potted flowers for our outdoor deck along with some plants and shrubs. Here are some general tips that I’ve learned from killing half of them and now watching them grow back.
Don’t water plants in the middle of the day when the sun is the strongest. It will absorb the water!
Don’t get the flowers or leaves wet when watering because they will rot. A general rule of thumb is to give plants an inch of water per week.
PRUNE! The more I remove of the dead, the more life comes back!
If the soil is damp, the plant doesn't need water
Don’t let the plant sit in dead water at the bottom of the pot, it will kill the roots
Learn about what you are planting! Some flowers like sun, some like shade, some like a mix! Some like sun, but not the direct sun! Everyone has special needs!
Side note: Mr. Man didn’t realize this at the gardening store, BUT the flowers that are in display inside belong inside. The ones that are displayed in the sun belong in the sun, the ones displayed in the shade belong in the shade…Etc. I thought this was obvious knowledge, but there is no judgment here. This publication is a safe space.
Some plants are just known to be easier to grow than others- plant these! For easy-to-grow produce, try tomatoes, peppers, onions, chard or basil. Easy to grow and maintain flowers include sunflowers, dahlia's, foxglove, roses and petunias. Also, your climate is very important. What kind of weather are you getting most days? More sun? More fog? Wind? Find the flowers that will thrive in your climate.
If you're planting flowers, consider a mix of annuals (which last just for a year) and perennials (which grow over many years). Annuals will die and won't regrow, but some of them are very pretty!
Get the basics. For tools, I only really use trimmers, gloves and a small and large shovel. I have a little gardening basket outside with a watering can so it’s all accessible and easy to use.
Take note on the kinds of planters you use for the different plants. For example, I used a woven basket for little tree that I was later told is going to rot because I didn’t line it with plastic. So… just waiting for that to happen now. Also, most plants need to have a drain at the bottom so the water runs through them and not sit at the bottom.
If you want to eat your herbs, don't let them flower — it can change their flavor, and might prevent your plant from growing more tasty leaves.
Be careful with fruit trees. Our pluots are all over the place and I feel bad for our neighbors who drive over them. Try to pick up the fruit that falls as soon as you can because it can attract animals or pests!
Oh and don’t forget to Pull your weeds.
Now go get out there and create life!!!
