Living in the city, I don’t have the luxury (or hassle) of maintaining a yard, and I also kill just about everything I plant. This post goes out to all my fellow gardening dummies! Aw yeah, you know who you are. You who fool yourself into thinking that this year will be different. This year your thumbs will be green instead of brown. Let’s see if we can’t figure out this whole keeping-a-plant-alive thing together!
Tip 1: Plant shade plants in the shade and sun plants in the sun.
Pick plants that will grow in your zone and in the spot you place them. If your spot is shady, don’t hope and pray that a flower needing full sun will do well there. It won’t. Vise versa if you’re plants are in full sun, don’t hope that impatiens or begonias (shade lovers) will thrive. They won’t. Trust me on this one!
Tip 2: Water your plants.
This seems ridiculous to mention, but I have lost so many plants simply because I was too lazy to water them enough. Hanging baskets in particular need to be watered everyday. The coconut liners look cute but do nothing to protect your plant from drying out. To help your plant from drying out too quickly you can mix in some sodium polyacrylate found at gardening centers. (It’s the stuff that’s inside diapers to make them absorbent.)
Tip 3: Stick to planting monochromatic colors.
You’re still an amateur. As fun as it seems to go crazy with lots of plants and colors, don’t. It’s easier to create a big impact with one or two colors and will be easier to keep everything alive!
Tip 4: Don’t be a nursery snob.
Annuals and perennials look just as great from the grocery store, Walmart, B.J.’s, and Costco as they do from a fancy nursery. If you’re buying local to support mom & pop stores or because you want organically grown plants, fantastic. Just don’t believe that your plant has to come from an expensive nursery to be a quality plant. (I’ve successfully killed both at an equal rate and the nursery ones just cost more!)
So how about you? Any tips for gardening dummies you want to share? Talk to me!
Mindy @ Heart Maine Home says
Great tips! Your flowers look beautiful!
I'm not great at gardening, but I'd also warn people not to OVERwater. I have this problem with indoor plants moreso than outdoor plants, but too much water can cause rot — not good!
Also, you should water your outdoor plants in the morning or evening when it's cooler, not in the middle of a hot day (unless you think they might not make it much longer…). I've read that for some plants it's better to water in the morning than evening, so water on the leaves has a chance to evaporate. Otherwise, the water sitting on the leaves can harbor fungus.
Nicolette @ Momnivore's Dilemma says
As a city dweller with a yard, this post made me laugh…
My grandfather was an amazing gardener, but I really only have a light green thumb. With herbs and veggies, I can do it.
Flowers and I have a sordid history. All except marigolds…
{which I adore because rabbits hate them and so do most pests, great for veggie garden and tough to kill}
This year I vow to not murder my flowers. Despite the fact that I too, get lazy with the watering and hope for rain…
Love your front porch, btw
Bee's Place says
I am a gardening dummy. There, I admitted it. I have longed for beautiful plants filled to overflowing on our patio. But every year, I stick with marigolds, rooster combs, and morning glories (which I love). You have encouraged me to be brave and step outside the box this year. Your porch is beautiful. I would love to sit a spell in one of those gorgeous rockers. Thanks for an inspiring post.
Amanda says
I just posted about a few of my plants today, too! Succulents are virtually maintenance-free and require little water.
I agree that travel is so hard on plants. I am in a neighborhood and have learned from experience to pay a teenager to water them…costs less to pay them than to lose expensive plants:)
Check out these succulents…you can use them inside or outside!
Blessings,
Amanda
Jessabells says
I love planting but do agree, watering is so essential! I love impatient's, they are such great flowers and looks great all summer. I don't have any mom or pop shops where I am and am stuck with Walmart. We have a new super center so hopefully they don't kill their plants this year like they have in the past with the older store. I have to wait another week for fear of frost before I can plant my garden for this year.
Jessica
Come stop by my blog anytime and say hi.
http://www.jessabellstamps.blogspot.com
Elizabeth H. says
Your planters look beautiful! I always kill planters. I think I'm going to get my husband to attach a hose from our sprinkler system straight into some planters!
One comment about not being a nursery snob – I have found that many nurseries have a "no-questions-asked" return policy… Calloway's has a lifetime guarantee, even for user error. So, while I love saving money at Walmart, Home Depot, etc, I often buy my larger plants and/or perennials at Calloway's when they're on sale because I know if I kill them, they'll let me exchange them for something else! I just bring them back in a trash bag with my receipt. Its awesome for beginners like me.
Holly @ Roller Coaster Life says
2 words – aqua globe! my best friend!! it waters the plants and does a good job when i'm not around!! and they are pretty =)
J says
You've got some great tips.I live in Canada in a zone 2 while you live probably in a zone 8 or 9 for plant hardiness. This means you are able to grow so many more things that I can. I'm jealous! However, we northern gardeners like a good challenge. Might I add a couple more gardening tips- when watering a pot, be sure to fertilize regularly (at least once or twice a week), using a fertilizer whose middle number is higher (ex:15-30-15).You'll get more blooms that way. Then water enough so that the water is running out the bottom every time . This will flush out any crystalized fertilizer at the bottom of the pot that could damage the roots.
For those that like a low maintenance plant, try fibrous begonia which can grow in shade or sun and doesn't mind being very dry.
And lastly, you might call me a nursery snob (ok, I work at one!), but I've seen enough to know that I can assure you that the plants that start off nice and healthy,(not long and lanky and yellow) will do better in the long run.Enjoying your blog.
Happy Gardening!
Karen in Saskatchewan
Jemsmom says
My name is Kathryn and I am a serial plant killer. The hubs actually bought me a shirt that had pictures of a plant in full bloom, dying and dead that said, "I buy. I try. They die." He is so good to me! I am not killing my petunias on my front porch yet, but the season is still early!
LLB says
Great post. We're future city dwellers, and I'm trying to figure out how to save some of my plants on the move (which is 2 weeks away)!!
aneyefordetail says
I would recommend buying from a local nursery/grower and NOT the big box stores. They (the big box) put a growth retardant on all the plants: so they stay looking good for weeks until they finally sell. Thus, when you get them home, they often don't grow very well, or fast. Believe me, there is a huge difference! If you do buy these, get them home and give lots of plant food! But I would, from experience, recommend buying local: and actually your local farmers market is probably the very best!!
Laura at Ms. Smartie Pants says
I think it also depends where you live. Impatients have a hard time in the middle of the summer when it's the hottest. And I would add if you remove your dead blooms your plants will bloom more and don't forget to fertilize, again especially the container plants they loose nutrients quickly. Lastly, not all flowers like to get their foliage wet.
Good Time Charlie says
Your porch looks so lovely! I love my big yard, but am a bit envious right now of the city life as I am procrastinating all the watering and work I have to do tonight!
Carmel @ Our Fifth House says
I don't have any tips but just wanted to say your front porch looks so warm and welcoming!
Christan says
Your post today was totally and thoroughly for ME. I laughed my way through it. I have tried to force sun loving plants to thrive in the shade. I have been a nursery snob. I have failed (and failed) to water. I really dislike gardening, but I love having the look of flowering pots. Thanks for motivating me to try my hand at it again. And thank for your sense of humor. It's a gift.
Pam says
Not just for dummies, it is also best to garden in pots for us old folks! lol…I use to love to plant in the dirt but now a days the pots are a lot easier. I love your front porch.
vanilla bean says
I need every tip I can get…I don't have a brown thumb even – more like death black!!
Vivienne @ the V Spot says
Good tips, all of 'em! I do have a yard, but have the same luck with plants. I started looking around to see what commercial property landscapers were using. I figure they must be pretty hardy if the public tramples all over them. (Which is why we have a lot of day lilies, agapanthus and petunias in our yard.)
🙂
Kim @ Too Much Time says
Oh my god! Your post title totally cracked me up! I have done all these dumb things. "Full sun plants will do fine in shade!" "They can't possible need water every day?!" "Let's plant 5 zucchini plants!" And have enough zucchini for 6 families not two adults.
These basic tips are super helpful!!!!
⊰OCDesign⊱ says
I love this post, mainly because I too am a recovering brown thumb. I say recovering because I am actually keeping my impatenias alive, even growing them indoors! By the way Your porch is beautiful!!
Beth@The Stories of A to Z says
Kristen, I've heard that some begonias do okay in sun but prefer shade to mid-shade. If your spot isn't full sun, they should be okay!
Kristen@fit2feelbetter says
Begonia's are shade lovers? Uh oh! I'll have to just pray then.
Jody says
I find that wave petunias are nearly indestructible in our zone as well. I have a total brown thumb; thankfully, both the hubs' thumbs are green. So yes, I laughed at your "water your plants" tip because its not uncommon for me to go a week without watering before I realize it.
Kristin says
You had me laughing at just the title of this post!
My go-to plants are succulents because, like impatiens, they are near impossible to kill unless you don't water them. And yes, I know from experience!
The Answer Is Chocolate says
Oh thank you! I joke that I can kill silk plants. OK I really can. It's not a joke!