What kind of gardener are you? What have you learned?

I started with my first nice apartment about 9 years ago by buying potted plants and hanging them outside. Over the years, I realized I was wasting my money on things that were dying off because I didn't know how to care for them.

Once I learned to buy for my conditions, over the years I also learned about combination planting, complimentary colors, planning ahead to plant things like bulbs in fall for spring flowers, pest control, organic gardening, invasive plants, pH and how it affects them, beneficial insects, etc.

I know not everyone has the time or inclination to go that far, but I guess I wanted to know what stage you're at and what's different or what you've learned since you first started?

Some of mine:

1. Potted plants are a PITA because they dry out quicker in summer heat.
2. Not all bugs are bad.
3. I seem to dislike all the plants my Mom grew at our house as a kid (hosta, pachysandra, privet hedges).
4. If the label says 'Full sun' but I put it in part shade, I shouldn't be surprised if I get no flowers. Or dull ones.
5. Don't plant anything under power lines unless it will never grow above 20 feet. Getting big trees trimmed by the town sucks and looks silly.

Re: What kind of gardener are you? What have you learned?

Right now, I am a non-gardener who would like to try...does that count?!

Re: What kind of gardener are you? What have you learned?

an exhausted one

we live in an apt, but mom has an enormous yard.... we have a landscaper take care of the lawn, but the beds are all on DH and I. Every mother's day, we clean them up and plant the beds with annuals. This year, we also had to plant a tree and a rhododendron... so we wanted to do the tree, bush, and remaining plants today. what we didn't realize is that on the north side of mom's home (we seldom go on that side of the yard), tons of vines and ferns were right against the house foundation, with english ivy actually growing underneath the shingles .... so tack on an additional 3 hours of super-heavy labor today

To answer your question:
DH is a brooklyn boy... I am teaching him gardening... I grew-up with a trowel in my hand. Mom had me planting flowers by age 5. I can ID most wild plants not only by their leaves, but also their roots! (quite handy for poison ivy ) I won't say I'm an expert, but I definitely can handle a LI yard w/o any advice or guidance... I know the older hybrid plants better than the newly generated ones....

my favorite plant in mom's yard is the 'giant hosta' we put near the corner of the pool/patio. It's as large as an azalea, but never has to be trimmed, and never gets too tall.... and it's enormous leaves look lush and frankly prehistoric

Message edited 5/16/2009 8:36:49 PM.