The Kerby's Nursery E-Newsletter
July 30, 2020
A Green Thumb
by Joey Bokor
by Joey Bokor
What does it really mean to have a green thumb? We get people that come into the nursery and sheepishly say,
'I don't have a green thumb at all. I can't grow anything'. It's as if they think that the ability to make plants
grow well is determined by some magic gene that only certain people have.
This year, especially with so many people at home looking for things to do, we have encountered a lot of people new to gardening. They are testing out their thumbs with their first veggie or butterfly garden. Giving their yard a makeover for the first time.
I'm here to tell new and experienced gardeners alike that a green thumb isn't magic. You aren't born with it. A green thumb and a great gardener is created through tons of mistakes made over many years, in a word: experience. It takes making mistakes and learning from them along the way. When you say that your grandmother can grow anything just by looking at it, what you really mean is that her garden experiences have taught her to quickly figure our what a plant needs. You'll get there too; you just need to build the experience.
Experienced gardeners, those that you envy for their green thumbs, are the ones who have made the most mistakes. They've planted plants too deep or forgotten to water, they've over-fertilized or tried to plant something that just doesn't grow in Florida. But instead of giving up, they brush the soil from their hands and try again, changing patterns and habits along the way until gradually their thumbs take on a rich, green hue, just like the plants in their gardens.
So if you don't feel like your thumb is green, don't fret. If things this spring didn't go as planned, you aren't the only one. Have fun, make some mistakes and learn from them. Pretty soon, you'll be the one giving out the gardening advice and people will call you the neighbor with the green thumb.
This year, especially with so many people at home looking for things to do, we have encountered a lot of people new to gardening. They are testing out their thumbs with their first veggie or butterfly garden. Giving their yard a makeover for the first time.
I'm here to tell new and experienced gardeners alike that a green thumb isn't magic. You aren't born with it. A green thumb and a great gardener is created through tons of mistakes made over many years, in a word: experience. It takes making mistakes and learning from them along the way. When you say that your grandmother can grow anything just by looking at it, what you really mean is that her garden experiences have taught her to quickly figure our what a plant needs. You'll get there too; you just need to build the experience.
'Experience is merely the name men gave to their mistakes.' - Oscar Wilde
Experienced gardeners, those that you envy for their green thumbs, are the ones who have made the most mistakes. They've planted plants too deep or forgotten to water, they've over-fertilized or tried to plant something that just doesn't grow in Florida. But instead of giving up, they brush the soil from their hands and try again, changing patterns and habits along the way until gradually their thumbs take on a rich, green hue, just like the plants in their gardens.
So if you don't feel like your thumb is green, don't fret. If things this spring didn't go as planned, you aren't the only one. Have fun, make some mistakes and learn from them. Pretty soon, you'll be the one giving out the gardening advice and people will call you the neighbor with the green thumb.
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Happy Gardening, The Kerby's Nursery Family 
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Now Hiring
Kerby's is hiring! We currently have open positions for an experienced Garden Center Retail Associate, a Super Waterer and a Cashier. To see position descriptions and download an application, visit the Now Hiring page.
The Weekly Special
Hibiscus Trees - 10" Pot - 2 for $50
Hibiscus flowers scream 'Summer in Florida'. Big, bold, colorful blooms brighten up a landscape and turn a backyard into a tropical paradise. With these small trees, you'll be able to see the flowers from anywhere in your yard. This week, they are on sale 2 for $50.
10" Pot Only, Regular Price $29.99
Valid Through 8/5/2020
Hibiscus flowers scream 'Summer in Florida'. Big, bold, colorful blooms brighten up a landscape and turn a backyard into a tropical paradise. With these small trees, you'll be able to see the flowers from anywhere in your yard. This week, they are on sale 2 for $50.
10" Pot Only, Regular Price $29.99
Valid Through 8/5/2020
Like all things, it takes time to become an experienced gardener. But a great way to get there a little faster is to lean on fellow plant-lovers and get advice from them. In that spirit, I polled the staff and asked them what advice they would give a new gardener. Their answers are below and if you have more questions, we look forward to seeing you in the nursery to talk with you and help turn your thumb green.
Kat - Have patience. Listen to the people who have been doing it longer, and be ready to swallow your pride. Also, it's hard to take care of something that can't connect to you in a communicative way, so try to have empathy. Gardening is not for people who desire instant gratification.
Patrick - Make sure you are planting the right plant at the right time (and in the right place). The University of Florida extension service is a great resource for Central Florida gardening of all things, including the fruits, veggies and edibles you want to grow.
Sam - Do your research and please ask us any questions you have. Let us help you find what is going to work in your space.
Alice - Be patient. Not every plant grows fast, growth habits can vary greatly based on their environmental factors.
Tara - Florida soil isn't good, but that doesn't mean that you can't plant in it. Use a great soil like Kerby's Professional Growing Mix to amend the soil in the hole you're digging and make it a happy home for your new plants.
John - Plant correctly the first time. Make a hole twice as wide as the container and be certain that the rootball is level with the ground around or slightly higher. DO NOT sink the rootball below ground level. Backfill with 50% native soil and 50% Kerby's Soil. Water every day, always in the morning, for 30 days, every other day for the next 30 days and twice weekly for the next 30.
Joey - You know what I'm going to say. Water, water, water . . . Water. 90% of plant issues are due to inconsistent watering. The best way to make a plant happy is to follow John's watering schedule above. A green thumb isn't a magical gardening gene. It's as simple as remembering to consistently water your plants. Get them strong and established, and then someday people will look at your garden with envy, and wonder how you got your green thumb.
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New Arrivals |
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Variegated Baby Sun Rose Variegated foliage with dainty pink flowers 6" Pot - $6.99 |
Hindu Rope Hoya A unique hoya with crinkled leaves 6" Pot - $24.99 |
Double Knockout Rose Disease-resistant, year-long bloomer 10" Pot - $29.99 |
Dwell at Kerby's - The Houseplant Shop
