Growing a Green Thumb

Freshly sprouted basil reaching towards the sunlight.

In the midst of creating a new home and wanting to make it as warm and as inviting as possible, I have decided to (once again) attempt to grow a green thumb. For those who may not understand, 'green thumb' is a term that refers to a person's natural ability to grow beautiful plants. My mother had a decent green thumb. I, however, do not.

She would toil away in her rose garden, her skin golden from hours spent in the sunshine. She said it was her time with God, and often where she would pray. On occasion, she would try to have me join in, wanting to share her love with me. I was not a fan of having spiders sprint across my hands, or tethering my skin with gloves, much less hacking away at weeds that were never ending.

In our rental there was a beautiful raised garden area, which I am proud to say I kept decently weeded, although Mother Nature can take credit for keeping my plants watered. I discovered that Snapdragons were quite hardy (who knew) and they are now on my list of favorite plants, simply because they didn't die under my care. Miniature roses, on the other hand, are best kept either inside, or at the store. They will die. Quickly.

On the day that everyone pitched in and moved us, I took a trip to Dollar General and bought a few items we needed. While there, I spotted a gorgeous yellow owl plant pot, and seeds to grow basil. I love fresh herbs, and have spent a pretty penny on them in the past with each trip to the grocery store. They add a nice zing of flavor to the dish, and I prefer them over dried spices in most recipes. Basil is among my top favorites, since I often cook Italian inspired dishes, so home it went and I planted it the day we moved in, in that nice yellow pot.

The pride I felt when the herb sprouted can only be rivaled by the pride I felt when I traveled to Hong Kong by myself for the first time. I felt accomplished, talented, and a bit mothering. The sproutlets are on the window sill in the sun room, and they stretch towards the sun from morning till night. Although still quite small, it has given me the courage I need to begin purchasing other food-items to grow.

Among this are the plants that are rumored to ward away pesky bugs that so often ruin a Georgia evening. Lemongrass, and rosemary are just a couple of the half dozen plants on my list to purchase (this weekend?) in order to place in colorful containers on our front porch, and in the back yard. We shall see if this works, and I will report about it later- with photos!

Also on the plant-to-do-list are some indoor friendly plants, such as spider-plants. I grew up with these and if my memory serves me correctly, they are quite low maintenance as well as easy to multiply. My only concern is i I merely place them on a plant stand, Copper will think they're convenient snacks.

So as you see, I have quite an ambitious plan for not being a natural when it comes to plants and things of nature. But I have hope, and a bit of faith. And James is super helpful on remembering to water when I so often forget.

So we shall see!