| Are you one of those people who say "I can't get | | | | alter those conditions to suit the plants. |
| plants to grow", "I can kill any plant" or something like | | | | So what can you do to become a green thumb? Get |
| "Every plant I touch dies", then read on. | | | | out there and read. Read a gardening book, hop onto |
| Conversely how often have you heard some people | | | | the Internet, watch a gardening program on the TV |
| described as being the opposite, "... has a green | | | | or listen to a gardening segment on the radio. Or |
| thumb", " ... has such good luck with plants". | | | | alternatively talk to someone who has a good |
| Plants grown by people with a green thumb seem to | | | | working knowledge of plants, such as a worker at |
| grow as if by magic or luck, however the one and | | | | the local nursery. |
| only 'magical' or lucky ingredient these people possess | | | | Find out about that plant you are about to purchase. |
| is knowledge and understanding of the conditions | | | | Find out what sort of environment it came from |
| that those plants require. These people also have the | | | | originally. Find out what are the conditions it needs to |
| interest and capability to provide those conditions, for | | | | grow happily and go about providing it. This includes: |
| those plants. | | | | Give it the correct amount of sunlight it requires. |
| Look around you at the plants that are being grown | | | | Look at making sure it has the correct amount and |
| by yourself and in your neighbourhood. These plants | | | | type of fertilizer, for optimum growth. |
| come from all round the world. The natural | | | | Keep an eye out for the pests and diseases that |
| environment from which these come is almost as | | | | may get to it. |
| varied as the plants themselves, from alpine heath | | | | Give it the correct amount of water that it craves. |
| through tropical rainforest to open desert. | | | | Look at the humidity of the air around the plant, |
| Then we come along and remove them from their | | | | (homes are usually far too dry for most plants), look |
| natural environment and expect them to survive in | | | | at raising the humidity around the plant/s. |
| the dry atmosphere of our homes (to them) or the | | | | Group them together, or put a saucer of water |
| alien environment of our gardens. | | | | under the plant. But be careful of things that may |
| We expect them to cope with an environment with | | | | grow in that saucer, (eg. Mosquito larvae). |
| sometimes extremely sporadic watering and quite | | | | Protect it during the period of establishment into your |
| often no food, and yet we expect them to survive. | | | | garden. |
| The light may be extremely far too bright or almost | | | | If the plant has a period of the year when it rests, |
| nonexistent, or only coming from one side, right at | | | | let it do so. |
| the times when these plants are trying to grow. Or | | | | Mostly it is in winter, but many Mediterranean plants |
| the atmosphere may be far too hot and/or dry for | | | | rest during the 'dry' summer period. |
| them, as inside a house. | | | | Get all those steps correct and then people will start |
| Yet despite all this, many plants struggle on, clinging | | | | saying that you have a green thumb. You can just |
| weakly to life, quite often not very happily and | | | | stand there and nod your head in the realisation that |
| usually with a diseases and pests. Those gardeners | | | | being a green thumb is no easy task, it actually |
| who succeed either choose plants that can stand the | | | | requires a lot of time, work, enthusiasm, energy and |
| types of conditions for which they are obtained, or | | | | knowledge. |