“Help, I Kill EVERYTHING!”

“There are two types of people in the world: people who have a “green thumb” and those who are learning.” - Ben Green

To some, having a “green thumb” can seem impossible. But, it might not be as hard as it seems. What people mean when talking about having a “green thumb”, is the ability to make anything grow. I think this true, but I want to change it to “THE KNOWLEDGE to make anything grow”. That’s what having a “green thumb” is. It is someone who has the ability, and knowledge, to cultivate a garden.

We’ve put a couple of steps together to change your “I’m not” to “I am”:

Get a Good Community

The best place to learn to cultivate anything is from people with experience. You need a community that you can ask anything and everything. With that in mind, we created the HLPC family. That way, people with more experience can help those of us with less. Send photos of your plants and let others guide you in how to cultivate them better. A good community won’t judge you. They stand with you and encourage you as you take step towards a healthy garden.

Be Prepared!

The best thing you can do before you start planting is to be prepared. What’s the old saying?: “Failure to plan, is planning to fail” - Benjamin Franklin. It’s the same with your new garden. Be prepared; know what the season is and what seeds will grow now; know what it needs to thrive. I can tell you it’s how you prepare your garden that will make the biggest difference. Study the seeds and crops you want to grow, then learn how you can best support them. The worst thing you can do for your garden is starve it of what it needs. So, search out the answers, study and learn. You won’t regret it!

Have Fun!

It’s true: gardening takes work, time; and you will get dirty. But, learn to take pride in the toils of your labour. Gardening isn’t the most thrilling thing you will do. However, it is peaceful. If you take a moment to relax and be mindful while you water and tend to your garden, I promise you there will be a deep sense of pride and joy that follows. Cooking and eating something you have grown from seed is a powerful moment. It will be even sweeter if you let someone else enjoy it with you. So take a moment from your busy day, get out and thrive in your thriving garden.

Being a “green thumb” takes time, but so does anything worth while in life. Have fun and enjoy it!

Ben and The HLPC Team