Good Readers Make Good Gardeners
By: B. L. Holland, Master Gardener

Speaking of pet peeves, my favorite is hearing people say, "I can't grow anything, I guess I just don't have a green thumb." Look around! People don't have green thumbs -- great gardeners don't even have green thumbs. As a matter of fact, the best gardeners all have brown thumbs from getting down and dirty, lifting the soil to smell the good earth, etching out weeds and debris from precious plants, pruning, watering, feeding, composting, and most of all it seems from turning the pages of a good gardening book.  

Those gardeners who take the time to read and learn about their plants can make their plants grow best. It takes more knowledge and less experience to put a plant in its proper place, provide it with just enough fuel to grow, know when to nurture it, and even when to just leave it alone. 

And winter is the best time to catch up on reading. Learn about what plants grow well here in our agricultural zone and where your plants like to grow.  Find out how much attention they will need and be realistic about how much time you have to pay attention. Read how much sun they need, what time of year they bloom, when they go dormant, when to cut them back, what kinds of pests and diseases may prohibit them from looking their best, if they need special food, lots or little water, etc., etc. This is how a good garden grows. 

And this is the better part of gardening. The challenge of juggling all the components of weather, soil, hardiness, bloom time, color and form in planning your garden. An admirable gardener I know says something like, "The more I know, the more I realize I don't know." So learning and challenging yourself with this hobby is an ongoing project that you yourself will never outgrow.   Nonetheless a hobby with rewards and pitfalls. 

Learn what went wrong last year. Too much rain? Too little water? What can you do about those pesky whiteflies in summer that eventually suck the very life from plants? Where should you move that perennial so that it will grow better or show better? When should you prune forsythia so you won't forsake next year's blooms. Where should you put those huge elephant ear bulbs? How do you divide a hosta? What kinds of plants do you want to look out a window and see? What are the basics of landscaping art? Find it all in a good book. 

Good gardeners also seem to start out small and build gradually so they can really take the time to learn about their plants while planning to provide them the best possible position to grow. They plan carefully so that plants will not soon outgrow their bounds and will blend well with other plant partners. They read and learn enough to know when their plants bloom to keep color going all season. They know when and if a plant should be pinched to bush better. They pay attention to the calendar and know when to plant or sow seeds. They even try to make the garden attractive throughout the winter with plants of special interest and form.  

Look at your thumb now. Getting browner? Maybe it's just newspaper ink.   Regardless, try to pick up a few good gardening books and read all you can about gardening this winter. And keep on reading this column for news you can use. Hold that brown thumb high and be proud of it.