Green Thumb Advice

[Elmorton]

I'm a plant serial killer. I need some help.

I just planted some sweet basil and some cilantro in outdoor pots on our front stoop. I told DH that usually when I plant seeds, they don't even bother to come up, so I don't have a lot of hope for these...

My next project is to pot some ivy that my grandma gave me a few sprigs of last spring. I've managed to keep it alive in water for a year and it's grown much larger, so I'm thinking maybe I should plant it. But I'm terrified of killing it.

AND - DH and I would loooooove to grow some cherry tomatoes - we tended our neighbor's planter full last summer when he was on vacay and I loved it.

Is there a secret to having a green thumb? Could you please share it with me? Starting with the very, very basics.. and maybe some advice on what might be a good little starter project?

 

[neatfreak]

Most people either water too much or forget to water at all. With most plants, especially basil, you want to let them get DRY DRY DRY before you water them again. Then give them a good dousing and them let them get bone dry again.

Also, make sure that the light is appropriate where you have your seeds. When they are first sprouting warmth is especially important, so feel free to keep them inside before it is nice out.

Also remember that here in the midwest it is too cold to plant most plants outside until very late May or early June. For annuals and most veggies you need to wait until the risk of frost is gone.

Hope that helps!

 

[sumbride]

Seeds are SO hard! you really need to start them inside in a sunny window and then carefully transplant them. I bought basil plants last year but I collected the seeds from the flowers at the end of the season and they are currently sprouting in an egg carton in our kitchen window right now. In a week or two, I''ll plant them outside, but not before they have more leaves. Basil LOVES sun so don''t plant them in the shade. I also agree with the dry then water routine.

If you really want to feel "green", plant some sweet potato vines. They take off quickly and I don''t think you can kill them. If they start to wilt, water them. They also look great with some showy flowers, like petunias and snap dragons. We do all container gardening as we have a concrete patio but no yard to speak off. The sweet potato vines never let us down!