If there is a gardening subject I am familiar with, it’s learning from my mistakes. I have been gardening indoors for the past 20 years. I have read many books, articles, blogs, and magazines and watched or listened to countless YouTube videos, movies, and podcasts. Still, I am far from knowing it all. As many colleagues have stated, the more I learn, the less I know. Don’t get me wrong, I have learned so much and have a good handle on my work — until something goes wrong. Like people, all plants are different, even within the same family.
Once you master the basic principles of indoor gardening, that is often where the real learning begins. Having a “green thumb” means you can listen to and understand what a plant needs just by looking at it. But what that plant is trying to tell you may not always be clear, or with some varieties, you don’t speak their language and can’t figure it out.
When asked to write about some of the most common problems and solutions they have encountered over the years, Dr. Av Singh and Dr. Colin Bell wrote similar articles. What they both discovered about themselves was that what they thought they knew about growing was not so straightforward, and their experiences with the plants themselves have taught them as much as their PhDs have.
Learning from our mistakes and correcting our approaches and actions to become happier or better humans is one of the fundamentals of personal evolution. It equally applies to becoming a better gardener. Everest Fernandez says it perfectly in his article “Gardening Mistakes Are a Gift to Your Future.” This edition also features many tips for identifying problems and avoiding common growing mistakes, along with some inspiring ideas for your next garden ventures.
Plants, like children, are not something we control but need to nurture and learn from. Adopting this ideology is the best way to improve your gardening game.
Happy Growing
Marie-Eve Arseneault and Alexis Galus believe food is medicine! They started Smithereens Mushroom so more people could reap the benefits of gourmet mushrooms.
Some people like it hot! Pepper Merchant offers a wide variety of pepper seeds not typically found in supermarkets, ranging from mild to super spicy.
Growing a garden is fun but always comes with a few challenges. Here are some easy ways to identify, prevent, and solve common growing problems.
Garden mistakes are frustrating, but it’s not all bad. Everest Fernandez writes about his biggest garden gaffes and how they made him a better grower.
No garden season is without problems. In this article, Anne Gibson guides us through identifying common insect pests and the all-natural ways to eliminate them!
Have you heard of PFAS, and do you know what harm they can cause to your garden? Keaton Haines helps us navigate these mysterious ‘forever chemicals.’
Growing food in urban areas isn’t as challenging as it seems! Marci Babineau shares her experience working with Incredible Edibles in Montreal, Quebec.
Fermentation enthusiasts have many of us thinking about microbiome health. Xavi Kief explores harvesting holobionts and cultivating healthy bodies.
Local food isn’t always easy to find for people in northern climates. Catherine Sherriffs writes about a market gardener growing veggies throughout the winter.
Are plants similar to humans? Can they think, feel, and communicate? In this article, Av Singh looks at the not-so-secret life of plants.
Define a successful garden. Not easy, right? Colin Bell writes about how his successes and failures in the garden have helped make him a better grower.
