Green Thumb?

I have never had luck with gardening. That could be from a few factors - and a big one would be that I haven't tired much! Yeah... that'll make progress slower...

But I've also had some bad luck with keeping things (or people!) out of my garden. I have twice tried growing from seed, and twice had things either pulled up or demolished. And I don't mean by rabbits or the like - we can see shoe prints in the area! A neighbor said the same thing happened to her - anything she'd planted in the ground had disappeared over a weekend while she was away. But what remained were things growing in buckets and pots.

So, try Number 3!

Yesterday we went to Marvin's Organic Gardens where they were holding an Organic Container Gardening class - and I guess fate was smiling on us! Five people called to cancel, so Dave and I got some one-on-one time with the teacher, Leslie. She walked us up and down row after row of organic plants that were started right there from seed! We got to sample nibbles of plants as we went - orange mint, chocolate peppermint, blueberries, celery, basil... amazing! I have never enjoyed blueberries until this visit! I still didn't love them, but they were much better than any thing I'd purchased at a store!

They even grow Stinging Nettle. I was shocked - I couldn't believe someone would choose to grow that plant! It burns when you get rubbed by it! But she said the leaves of the Stinging Nettle plant can be boiled into a tea that helps with arthritis. How cool! Add that to another weed with benefits :)

I wish I had gotten pictures there! Leslie was so patient with all of our questions, and didn't seem to mind that we kept walking her in circles as we wanted to revisit plants in the green house! I guess we'll just have to go back some time - I saw they had a whole wall of sprouting seeds! I haven't yet done sprouting, but it is something I want to try some day.

So, Leslie helped us narrow down our choices, and we finally decided on five plants that she said would grow well in our large pot: stevia, spinach, broccoli, Greek oregano, and chocolate peppermint mint (which I plan to brew a leaf of tonight after work! And maybe sweeten with a leaf of Stevia!) We gathered up our finds, and she helped us plant them in organic potting soil, topped with organic fertilizer and mulch. We somehow managed to lug the thing home, and set it on our back porch.

So, here's hoping trial #3 is more successful! I am not anticipating a huge bounty of food from it, but the experience that will lead to excitement for growing more at home some day! It doesn't get more local than your own home!

I'll be sure to post here some more of our container gardening :)

xoxox

~Katie