Curse of the Black Thumb

Daylight Savings Time plus the first days of real sunshine in a long time mean Spring is right around the corner. I jumped the gun last week and switched out my winter closet to warmer clothes. Mother Nature teased me by bringing back the cold weather resulting in me digging out my sweaters once again. But, the warmer weather, sunshine and longer days, has gotten me inspired to try my hand at gardening once again.
I’ve never been a natural at digging in the dirt. The only plants I’ve consistently kept alive are succulents. I was so disappointed this winter when I accidentally left my banana tree outside and it froze to death. Darn it! Why can’t I remember to take care of my plants?
But, spring is a chance to start over. Perhaps this year I can turn the curse of the black thumb around. Last weekend I planted tulips in planters on my front porch. Today, the first one opened to a beautiful yellow bloom. It inspired me to re-plant my window boxes and even try my hand at bulbs.
I filled the window boxes with pink hyacinths and pink and white petunias. Surely, I can’t kill these hardy plants, right? My lemon tree is coming back from last year and I picked up a few “easy to grow” houseplants such as zebra plants and pathos at the garden store.
The next real challenge is the bulbs I planted today. I have a shady walkway out to the back yard. In an attempt to make it presentable, I decided to plant caladiums along the path. I followed the directions by planting them 2 inches deep in a shady spot. It was only after I planted them I realized I was supposed to nestle them with the tuber side up. Oops. Hopefully, they will find their way out of the ground.
I’ve never been a gardener but I sure would like to be. This past year, I successfully kept my first houseplant alive. It sounds silly but it really felt good to nurture it and watch it grow. My love affair with plants has only just begun. I’m anxious to see where the spring will take us.
 
Any advice on how I can be more of a green thumb? Let me know at kewsolutionsinc@gmail.com