When Given the Right Conditions We Thrive

Seeds, like humans, thrive when given the right conditions. Warmth, light (anyone else out there suffering from SAD, seasonal affective disorder, right about now?), water, nutrients and of course love + patience are the needs of both humans and seeds. Doesn’t sound too complicated, right?

How many times have you tried something new, but deep down knew, maybe even before you even took the leap, that it might go as planned? Maybe you were trying to cut corners or save time. Regardless of what it was, you didn’t give yourself the right conditions to thrive.

I know I’m guilty. Allow me to introduce to you my first garden.

• I didn’t invest in the right supplies.
  • Toilet paper tubes and egg cartons as seed starting trays? Thanks but no thanks Pinterest. The paper soaked up all the water and the soil stayed dry. The seeds did not even germinate in those conditions.
  • Sunny, south facing window? Only if you want tall, weak seedlings searching for light. We call these leggy seedlings. These sad, leggy babies eventually flopped over, too weak to make it to the garden for transplant.
  • Seeds from big box stores? Cheap, yes. Does anything actually grow - rarely.
  • Generic potting soil without added compost or nutrients? It left the seedlings starved. By the third week those sad little plant babies were hungry.
• I didn’t invest in learning.
  • I got all my information from bloggers, writers who were simply not experts in the field. Remember this was a decade ago and blogging has come a long way. 
• I was distracted by other things.
  • I was 27 afterall, what can I say? I had other priorities and sometimes the seedlings just didn’t make it. Yes, I lost a lot of plants in my early years due to distraction, misguided information and poor conditions.

By the time I reached the age of 30, I made a decision to commit to my passion for gardening. I was determined to learn how to grow healthy plants from seed. I invested in the right tools like a quality grow light, and wow was that a game changer! I bought the best seed starting mix money can buy - BINGO. I attended in person workshops presented by local growers and farmers, I read the experts’ blogs, and I even invested in higher education including a greenhouse production class at my local technical college. I gave myself the right conditions to thrive.

I was driven to become an expert so I could simplify and share these skills with you. Why? Because the art of growing a cut flower garden is too magical not to share.