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Green Thumbs


People often tell me that I have a green thumb and that plants 'just' grow well for me and that they have a black thumb and kill everything. I don't honestly believe that people have black thumbs or green thumbs. I think being successful with plants is about being able to be good at a few key things:

1.) Don't underestimate the amount of care that your plant actually needs: 
People seem to think you can just plop a plant in the ground and ignore it and it will turn out beautifully. Not so. . .plants actually need a lot of care.
(Zinnias will do much better if you make sure there is adequate space between plants and you don't water from above.)



2.) Don't plant high maintenance plants like roses if you are unable to give them the time and energy they need.


(Roses need pruning, to be fertilized frequently, and need a full sun location.)

3.) Make sure to research your plant (house plant, annual or perennial)'s water and amount of light and fertilizer's needs.

(As a full sun lover zinnias do their best with at least 6 hours of sunlight per day.)

4.) Observe your plant: try to look at your plant or plants every single day or at the very least several times a week: this will help you know right away if there is a problem with insects.

(See the small hole in the petals: I picked off and killed a Japanese beetle before it could destroy the rest of the blooms.)

5.) Be knowledgeable about insect pests in your area and also about pollinators and other beneficial insects.

That's about it. Always be willing to learn something new and remember everyone is capable of growing flowers even those that say they have a black thumb.

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