Who or what got you started in Gardening?

Dear all,

Gardening is one of the most enjoyable and relaxing activities around.
Starting a garden should be a pleasure. Choosing plants and making them thrive are great tasks. But it does help to have a little knowledge of how to go about making a garden.

We have discussed lots of things here like How to grow plants, How to prevent them from insects and pests, vegetable gardening, herb gardening, and shared photos of our beautiful garden.

Here are few questions to know your passion and interest in gardening. Share your sweet memories with us.

• How you got started with gardening?
• Who and what inspired you?
• How your first gardening efforts worked out?
• What all lessons you have learned from your Gardening experience?
• How many hours do you spend in your garden for its maintenance?

And here comes the most important question to you all:

• Why do we need a garden?

Let me share my experience with you all.

• How I got started with gardening?

Gardening is one of my favorite hobbies.
We had lots of free space in the backyard. In my childhood days, my sister and I used to grow some small plants in our backyard like ground nuts, onions and potatoes. Now, I’ve started with container gardening.

• Who and what inspired me?

My parents were my first inspiration. Gardening was their passion. I’ve learned lot of things from them. And my second inspiration is from our IL’s in this forum who shared their gardening efforts and their pictures. Got inspired by our IL Tulasi’s vegetable garden, started to grow vegetables in containers at home.

• How my first gardening efforts worked out?

Flower gardening – I felt really very happy to see my rose blossoms and mesmerized everyday with jasmine fragrances.
Vegetable gardening – It takes lot of painstaking efforts. I’m waiting so long to see my first yield.

• What all lessons I have learned from my Gardening experience?

I’ve learned lots of lessons and some are really funny.
I’ve learned to make organic manure (Bio – compost). And I discovered some funny pesticides too. Yes, it took a great challenge to get rid of the rats from my garden. Everyday, it spoils my garden. My parents told me to keep a trap or some poisons for the rat. As I don’t wish to kill it, I grounded large amounts of Neem leaves and made it into a fine paste. And add the paste in all the containers. As the rat could not sustain the smell, within half an hour, it came out and ran away.

• How many hours do I spend in my garden for its maintenance?

Ten minutes in the early morning to relax and refresh myself in my garden and half an hour in the evening to water the plants and to clean it.

• Why do we need a garden?

Definitely we need a garden. If not a flower garden, at least we must need a vegetable garden at home.
How about tasting chemical free Greens and tomatoes?
Even a small container garden can refresh your mind. It’ll make you energetic.

Dear Shel,

How I got started with gardening?

I thought all these years I have the hand of death and everything that I tried to grow would die :( But here our neighbors have lovely plants - fruit and flowers and I was just amazed to look at it. My dad was here last year and we put in some fruit and flower trees. He showed me how to do things and take care of them and I learnt a lot. I also browsed on the internet regularly to look at tips on growing fruit trees. My interest increased and especially with the vegetable garden we got lots of tomatoes and mint. It was like a sense of achievement.

Who and what inspired me?

I would say definitely my dad. I started taking a keen interest in gardening only looking at how he worked in the garden and seeing the fruits of his hard work.

How my first gardening efforts worked out?

Last year we put in a mandarin and nectarine tree and this year I have seen flowers on the mandarin tree and small fruits coming up on the nectarine tree. We got lots of tomatoes and mint last year, which was great. This year I have put in a rose tree and for my vegetable garden I have put in tomatoes, sweet chilli, peppers and also a strawberry plant.

What all lessons I have learned from my Gardening experience?

I have learnt that put in good quality stuff for your plants and you will get good flowers and fruit. I have also learnt how to mulch and the importance of using mulch.

How many hours do I spend in my garden for its maintenance?

During the weekdays, not much, just maybe 10-15 minutes in the evenings to water them. However on weekends I try and do a bit more - maybe a bit of weeding, a bit of pruning if needed, etc.

Why do we need a garden?

For me personally, I feel a great sense of happiness in seeing the flowers and fruits grow. It is a great stress reliever to spend time in my garden. Of course it is not easy, it is a lot of hard work but the rewards are worth the effort s

Dear Muskan,
Thank you for kick starting this thread with your first feedback.
Also for your efforts to answer all these questions.

I have the hand of death and everything that I tried to grow would die

I too have sailed in the same boat. But never say like that. The plants are unlucky to decorate this little princess' garden.
Can you explain how to use mulch for the container garden. I've covered the pots with lots of neem leaves. Share some more details with us. Definetely we need it for our climate especially during summer.

Dear Shel,

I planted my fruit and vegetable plants in my backyard in the ground and not in containers. For mulch, I used shredded paper around it and dried mowed grass over the paper. It is very hot here now and mulching helps to maintain the temperature and hold the water and moisture for the plant. It also prevents weeds growing which are a problem especially if planted in the ground as they can take up all the nutrients from the soil.

I hope to post some pics soon. You wont believe I just discovered this Gardening Forum even though I have been here since a few months

Thank you Muskan for your prompt reply.
A week back bought some plants in nursery. There they used mulch in almost all the pots. They looked like coirs of grass.
Post your garden picture soon. I'm so curious to see your strawberry plant.

Shel, that is a great topic to discuss. Honestly, I started answering yesterday morning and today I am still trying to do it.....now that I am here, I will finish it this time. So here you go.

• How you got started with gardening?

when I moved to the US, just wanted to get the feel of home. So started with hibiscus in a pot followed by Tulsi and ofcourse some money plants.

• Who and what inspired you?

Undoubtedly my mom - she was always growing something or the other. Though as children we never participated in her efforts, somewhere along the line I have paid attention to the fact that she derived so much pleasure from this act. And it is always an inspiration and a challenge to try and grow some of the Indian plants in cold weather, even if indoors.

• How your first gardening efforts worked out?

My patio graden did quite well and when we moved, the number of pots we had to move spoke in itself. Fortunately for me, the house we bought has a really very beautiful garden and I am constantly working at it. My indoor plants are solely my efforts and I am proud owner of some 15 plants including orchids and beetle plants.

• What all lessons you have learned from your Gardening experience?

Oh many....all about insects, grubs, how much I know earthworms help but how much I dread them, how I have preference for perennials over annuals, how to sepearte bulbs, how to add color and bring cohesion. How much I dislike chemicals, joys of vegetable gardening and best of all introducing gardening to my young children - give them a free hand to choose what they want to plant, help them plant, help them take care and see the joy when they bring in vegetables.

• How many hours do you spend in your garden for its maintenance?

During spring and fall, I really cannot keep tabs - it is on need basis which is always high. Otherwise definetly an hour or so almost everyday.

And here comes the most important question to you all:

• Why do we need a garden?

Just to know that a paradise can be created here on earth :) I have always felt myself relax when I do gardening - the sheer joy of the feel of the earth, seeing something grow, bearing a fruit or flower. I love gardening because of the way my mind tends to calm down - it is like meditation.

I do hope more ILs will come forth with their experiences and add to the richness of the thread.

Dear Srama,
Its so nice to see your feedback here in this thread. And thank you for answering all the questions. Yes, of course it takes little more time to answer. I appreciate your efforts in answering all.

how to add color

How? Could you explain it. I too can try those tactics in my garden.

Just to know that a paradise can be created here on earth

Well said. In my childhood days, I've seen my surroundings and my locality were lushed with green. I've seen infinite trees and plants. But now, I could see only tall buildings and have only a few trees.
So to whom we are going to blame for global warming!
Now I've planted lots of plants at my home.

Dear Shel,

Nice thread. Thanks for it. Let me share my part.

• How you got started with gardening?

We have plantains at home. Its all because of my parents. Its their passion and I developed it as I grow.

• Who and what inspired you?

None other than My Parents.

• How your first gardening efforts worked out?

Well, I've worked with my dad in the garden. We have different varieties of plantains. And our first yield was sevvalai fruit. So delicious.

• What all lessons you have learned from your Gardening experience?

I've learned something from my dad like when to keep fertilizer for the plantains and lot more.

• How many hours do you spend in your garden for its maintenance?

Nearly half an hour


And here comes the most important question to you all:

• Why do we need a garden?

Atleast we can taste some chemical free delicious fruits.

Dear Rex,
Thank you for your feedback.
Well, you have a plantain farm. We too have plantains at home. We have Karpoora valli, sevvalai and one more variety. What kind of fertilizer are you using for your plantains?