Tip #10 for Finding Your Green Thumb

I started sharing a series on Instagram of tips I've learned over the last several years as I became a gardener. Here's my latest observation.

I don’t believe anyone is born with a “green thumb.” But there are some things people perceived as having one do that other people do not.

I’ve been discovering those things, slowly, over time as I become more and more of a gardener. I started sharing my observations in an Instagram series last year. You can find all of them on Instagram in the Highlights now, but I’m thinking I’ll re-share them here in the coming weeks. Until then…

Green Thumb Tip #10: Be curious.

Slow down. Don’t make decisions too fast. Give yourself some time to see what happens.

I almost pulled this vine by my new mailbox out when I first noticed the green leaves among weeds I was cleaning up.

But I paused. The shape of the leaves looked kind of familiar. I left it alone, decided to see what it looked like with a little more growth.

A few days later there were pretty yellow flowers

Then it started to climb.

Now every time I check the mail I tuck new shoots up into the tangle so they’ll climb up rather than spread out on the ground.

The plant identification feature on my iPhone says this is Black Eyed Susan vine. (Can anyone confirm or refute?)

I think sometimes “successful” gardens are the ones with touches of whimsy that intermingle the planning of the gardener and nature’s own impulses given space to play out. After all, if a plant springs up of its own volition, it needs little care or attention from YOU.

So, some questions for you:

• Is there something in your garden or on your property that your first impulse was to rip out?

• Are there any plants or even insects you’ve observed that you don’t recognize or don’t understand?

• Is there an area that seems too shady or too sunny, too wet or too dry, that makes you feel like you need to “fix” the problem?

Be curious. Slow down. Take some time to consider how to work with what’s there. You may still end up needing to take down some trees (like I’m going to need to do) or pull out some plants that are in the wrong place.

But—sometimes you can add to rather than take away, enhance rather than pulverize, and nurture rather than start over. And sometimes doing so creates a more interesting final result than starting from scratch and having to come up with everything out of your own head.

All my Green Thumb Tips can be found on Instagram in the Highlights.