Being an avid gardener requires you to have special skills and abilities. When was the last time you tried a totally new plant or technique? Are you known for your gardening prowess? Ever breed your own varieties? Do you know when it will rain next? Here are 7 mad gardening skills to take you to the next level.
Nunchuck skills… bowhunting skills… computer hacking skills… Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills! (Napoleon Dynamite)
Note: Mr. Dynamite is totally correct as I won the Snarky Girlfriend’s heart with my gardening expertise (“Oh, you have a garden?”).
1. Alertness
Are you observant and present while out in your garden? It’s easy to wander around just enjoying all the natural beauty, but as they say “the devil is in the details.” Catching something now will keep you from crying about it later. One droughty season a few years back, I noticed some of my plants’ leaves looked chewed on. I thought, “Oh, probably grasshoppers or some other bug.”
The next day, I noticed even more gone, but I was still unsure. The third day I came out to discover a smallish groundhog in my garden. I chased him out through the hole he had come through, which is sadly how I figured out how he got in. Had I been smarter (or just more paranoid), I would have spotted the incursion site, patching it before Woody helped himself to my produce.
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3. Forgiveness
Can you easily forgive? The forgiving gardener is the successful gardener. You need to forgive others, especially woodland creatures and other pests. They get hungry just like we do. Our gardens are often the most delicious food source around. If they trespass into your space, know that is just nature’s way. Of course, you may need to fence them out or remove them if they become too aggressive. All I’m saying is don’t hold a grudge — animals need love, too.
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4. Humility
Are you humble when you are successful and other gardeners aren’t? Once you have an awesome garden, it’s easy to be all smug in your superiority. Remember where you came from. Most of us started out with weedy, barren, sad little excuses for a garden. Also, any season’s random events could wipe you out (drought, late freeze, early frost, flooding, sharknadoes), which could be karma for the braggart.
Modesty is the best policy as your garden isn’t prolific only because of your hard work. You had a full team assisting you along the way. Insects pollinating and preying on pests. Bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and other microscopic organisms converting debris into nutrients for your plants. Birds, amphibians, and reptiles who make your garden their home while ridding it of slugs and snails. Make sure to thank them while tending to your bountiful veggie garden by making your plot hospitable for all your little helpers.
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Article source: Mother Earth News
Image source: Kanel Strand