Gardening is not just a hobby, it’s kind of an obsession. There’s something about sticking your hands in the soil, pulling up weeds, transplanting things, sowing seeds, and savouring a freshly picked tomato that lifts me up while grounding me in the present. It’s truly magical. Even keeping a succulent alive is a magical feat. There’s so much to know about growing plants, I know a horticulturalist who is still learning things after 4 decades. So I thought I’d just give you a few starter tips and tricks

Sowing seeds is part luck Not all seeds are viable, unfortunately. And some seeds just won’t make it. So your best bet is to research the plant you’re about to grow before you even sow it, follow the seed sowing instructions, and don’t accidentally forget about them lol

Birds love digging up seeds This is cute and annoying. Most of the time I sow seeds in pots or seed starting trays and transfer the seedling when it’s big enough. In the past I’ve felt guilty for the birds so I’ve thrown them some birdseed… but they love freshly tilled soil as they can easily find worms and grubs.

You don’t have a black thumb. Not everyone has a green thumb, but I believe a black thumb is a myth. Gardening is part art, part science, and part luck. To keep plants alive (and thriving) you need to learn as much as you can about the particular plant you’re growing, try and give it what it likes, and give it some love. Some plants just won’t survive though, you have no idea what they’ve been through before you brought them home from the garden shop so let them go with love.

Soil is really important This is kind of a no brainer, but I forget it all the time. The quality of the soil matters not just when you first plant something, but all through a plant’s life. Repotting is something you should definitely consider, unless you have a hoya – hoyas are the prima donnas of potted plants.

Some plants just die These plants are called annuals, and until I worked this out I was convinced I was the world’s worst gardener. Perennials usually live for ages, and then there’s weird plants like parsley that live for 2 years. Just to confuse the matter, if you let weeds grow up all over some annuals they shield them from the winter chills and confuse the plant, and you can unintentionally grow an annual for 2 years.

Talking to your plants works. Not just because they’re living things with magical properties, but also because they like carbon dioxide. Plants also love Reiki, intention and moon water.

Some plants thrive on neglect when they’re established. Thyme is one of these. This usually means you need to grow the seedling big enough for it to survive, and plant it in a good spot in the actual ground that it likes. I’ve never found any plant that thrives on neglect in a pot lol

Compost & feed properly Most plants like compost and food. But not many plants like partly composted food scraps (they can burn the plant) or too much or the wrong type of food. Every plant has different needs for feeds.

Watering plants is an art form In general, you water the roots, don’t water during the hottest part of the day (you’ll burn the plant), don’t forget to water them, and don’t over water them. Lol. It’s a balancing act, but every plant has it’s own needs which it pays to research. From there you want to check the soil with your fingers and adjust, as a plant that gets another half an hour of sun than the exact same plant a meter away will have different water requirements

Growing indoor plants is hard It can be really easy, super rewarding, and is an incredible way to connect with nature all through your day. And then your prized monsteria can just up and change it’s mind and want something completely different to what it’s been thriving on the past 6 months. This is the way of indoor plants, beautiful fickle creatures full of mystery.