I don't know why I bothered with gardening

**Palooka** · 07-11-2011, 01:41 AM

When I knew I didn't have a green thumb, but wanted to learn and try.

Over 50 bucks lost right there.

I really tried and read all I could. It was containers and several heavy rains had it flooded to long before I could dump the water.

Several tomatoes I was seeing, and I was so happy. My zucchini plant seemed to be doing pretty well too. And all of a sudden....my plants were on their death bed today, just wilted over, waiting to say their last words to me, I swear. Was it all that rock music we blasted outside last week? It was like 110 degrees today with the heat index. Did I not talk to them enough, my cats doing evil things..did I give them too much water.. maybe they was embarrassed by the bully neighbors garden staring at them...they felt insecure..I followed the bottle of Miracle grow, just like it said.

I guess some of us are meant to shop the farmers markets and the outside aisles of the grocery stores.

Thanks for listening.

**pollypurebred39** · 07-11-2011, 01:54 AM

Oh Palooka, I'm feeling ya. I killed my container garden last year, it wasn't pretty.

**Palooka** · 07-11-2011, 02:20 AM

I'm thinking I should go out of my way and give them a full, ever deserving funeral.

I have some beautiful dandelion flowers I could lay next to them.

**mamamia** · 07-11-2011, 06:02 AM

Oh goodness Palooka! You sound just like me. I kill EVERYTHING, and I think the day I finally called it quits was when I even killed the pretty basil plant I brought home from Publix! But, at least you tried, and there's no shame in having to buy our produce......I think?

.......maybe it just depends on who you're talking to?

I do feel your pain!

Theresa

**Russ** · 07-11-2011, 07:31 AM

I don't think container gardening is a good way to learn to garden. One missed or extremely hot day can and obviously did lead to disaster for you.

I think a beginner should start with a nice small ground garden and learn a little more before setting off on container gardening. Don't give up and next year try putting in a regular garden in the ground.

**Josephhgoins** · 07-11-2011, 07:54 AM

Wait, that $50 isn't wasted! You learned some things and just think, you have the pots and the potting soil and can try again next year, just make sure to add some fertilizer to the soil.

My containers are struggling and I have been gardening since I was old enough to walk, so I understand your pain. My zukes are worthless so I had to plant new ones (I think I managed to have only males before)

Where are you at? If it is over 100 now I am thinking far south, which means you may be able to have a fall garden too!

Try things that you can eat the foilage on i.e. lettuces, spinach, and such. I bet you will have great success with those and that success will help you have better success next spring.

**Booklover** · 07-11-2011, 08:27 AM

I agree with Russ. I have gardened for years, so one year I thought I could double my production by including containers in addition to my regular garden.

Big mistake!

They usually need more water more often than a regular garden. It was about this time of year, too, when I said to heck with it! I took them out of the pots and planted them in the ground, and they actually did quite well! They seemed to catch up. Yields were lowere in the fall because of missed time, but it was still better than nothing.

Did you drill holes in the bottom of your containers for drainage? Maybe all is not lost.

**Debbie-cat** · 07-11-2011, 08:44 AM

Oh Palooka, you didn't waste $50 at all! Gardening is a tough hobby. Some years nothing, other years you produce large yields. I agree with the others that container gardening is more difficult. I think in the southern states alot of people will be losing their gardens this year. Just too hot!

I like booklovers idea, plant them in the ground (if you can) and see what happens!

**savvy_sniper** · 07-11-2011, 09:36 AM

Just because they are wilted doesn't mean they are dead! Did you water them? It is SO hot and we are in a MAJOR drought. My tomato plants are in containers. I have to water them heavily every day or they wilt. They pop back up after watering. Now I water them EVERY morning before it gets too hot and they are no longer wilting.

City water is no substitute for rain. I have tomatoes, but they are struggling.

**Contrary Housewife** · 07-11-2011, 10:02 AM

IMO it gets too hot here for container gardening. Like I said earlier, they have to be watered morning and night this time of year. Also, the thing I learned my first year is a lot of pots just are not large enough to grow in. They can't hold enough moisture or enough soil nutrients.

The good news is that come August you can plant greens and lettuces again.

FWIW, I went out yesterday and found a 3ft tall tomato plant cut off at the ground. $#@!! squirrels.

**Ramona** · 07-11-2011, 10:20 AM

I know how you feel

. I started a package of basil in a container, potting soil and Micracle Grow. I got one measly plant and it died!

I have two tomato plants (Big Boy) in a very large pail with rocks in the bottom, potting soil and Miracle Grow. I lost all the yellow blossoms during a rainstorm (darn it!) but it's growing taller and thicker day by day.

**savvy_sniper** · 07-11-2011, 10:24 AM

Oh, and I moved the containers so that the tomato plants are getting a lot of sun, but NOT the blazing sun from sun up to sun down!

**frugalfoster** · 07-11-2011, 10:25 AM

If it makes you feel any better, my florist friend once told me that I was the only person he knew that could kill a dead fern! Before silk flowers, they used to sell only dried flower arrangements or boston ferns that were treated with formaldehyde..he came over one night and looked at my hanging boston fern and just shook his head...LOL

**Missy** · 07-11-2011, 10:51 AM

Palooka, are you anywhere near me? I would be happy to help you out if you are...I know it's a long shot.

**many houseapes** · 07-11-2011, 12:13 PM

I'm starting out too...it's horribly hot here & the soil is really crappy, so I have no other choice than to do a container garden. I gleaned the knowledge that I had gathered from helping with the family garden as a child....read everything that I could on the internet & became friends with a "soil specialist". I have now started a compost heap for the fall garden, but in the meantime....I lost all of my cucumbers b/c.....I didn't water them well enough. I thought that I did, but apparently, the moisture didn't go all the way to the bottom.Grr & they were from heirloom seed too. At least I still have my tomatoes & peppers...for now.You didn't waste $50...get a compost heap started & add it to the soil that you have & follow the planting times in your farmer's almanac (online). Also, I have learned that where I'm at, with the heat/humidity the way it is, I moved my plants to an area of the yard that is partially shaded & that has helped the tomatoes & peppers survive