We just passed Imbolc, the celebration of the earth preparing for Spring. It’s always a good marker for me to get out my seeds, and start making gardening plans for the year. I started some of my seeds in the fall, then we had a crazy cold snap, and I dropped the ball and killed most of them somehow. Has this happened to you? I was disappointed, but I’ve learned not to put all my eggs in one basket, so to speak. I’m starting over this month with the rest of my seed back stock, and this year I’m DETERMINED to have a garden that lasts. We live in Colorado at 9,500 ft altitude, the high desert, and it’s so hard to grow anything! If you’ve struggled with your gardens, or just growing one damn plant- this blog’s for you.
I learned awhile ago that gardening takes patience, attention to detail, a lot of research, and follow through- something that is hard for my ADHD brain. Can’t I just scatter some seeds around and wish for the best? Not with our growing season. At some point, I’ll get busy and forget to water something, or I won’t really do proper research and treat all my plants the same and wonder why half of them die. I just have so many things going on in my life, and I thought I was signing up for a simple, relaxing activity I can do when I feel like it. That’s not what gardening is at all, you say? Unfortunately I learned that one the hard way. So what’s a girl with no natural green thumb to do?
6 years ago, I decided to pick ONE easy plant to focus on. I started propagating and growing succulents. They grow naturally in our climate and thrive on neglect. Some of them actually survived- what a thrill! Then I got more courageous and decided to try my hand at wildflowers. I chose one type of wildflower- the Colorado Columbine, for my business. They are native and thrive where we live. Native wildflowers do wonders for the local butterflies, bees, and ecosystems. They evolved to survive where you live, and the natural rainfall is usually enough to sustain them. My Columbine garden grew into a beautiful colorful garden every year. The plants reseed before they die, so the garden will continue on for years without my help.
So, my fellow black-thumbers- my advice to you is pick ONE plant. Read up about it. Yes, you will have to do some research. But you will get such a thrill when that plant survives! If you want an easy plant, choose a succulent or native plant. This year, I want to actually grow plants I can eat. I want a thriving herb garden and food garden. Eventually. For now, I’m focusing on a few easy plants. I’ll be sharing some of my tips and plans on our FB group @Broke Betty- the Modern Martha Stewart. Look us up if you haven’t yet!
Let’s grow something beautiful together! And yes, kill a few things along the way. It’s just part of the learning experience.
Your tired broke a$$ fairy godmother,
Jewels Bright