Hi Linda,

Probably the best thing you could do to learn the basics is to join a master gardeners program. They keep buggin me at work to go through the program. Most of the girls there have gone through it. But I've talked to some master gardeners that don't know the names of even basic annuals. I'm one of those people that learn with my hands and sweat from my back. I've learned a ton since trying to put almost anything I get my hands on in the sand here in Carthage. I've also acquired some good knowledge from the people I work with at BB's and of course from this forum. But truthfully the knowledge that stays with me is what I have learned from trying to grow everything and then sitting back and seeing what works. Adele

I'm no expert myself but my mom got me started gardening. She didn't teach me so much as inspire me, and I am now much more in to it than she ever was. She just gave me a spot and told me I had to do it myself. I remember feeling a little bitter that my dad dug her beds up but I was on my own for mine. In the end I was glad because I was really proud and so were they!
But I mostly learned from doing what you are doing, being persistent. As you've seen, each yard has different soil, rain, temperature. You really have to do a lot of trial and error. One thing that has helped me is to try and understand not only what my conditions are, but why. For instance, dry due to baking sun is completely different from dry due to tree roots or dry due to really good drainage. Baking sun means you need mulch and heat loving plants, tree roots means you water deeply to encourage roots down and plant things that like dry shade, the latter might just mean adding more organic matter to hold in the moisture.
I learned a lot from trial and error, a lot from books, and a whole lot from reading on the internet. I just look everything I can think of up. Different sources will often say completely different things, and that is partly because plants behave so differently in different soils and climates. But I try and see several different opinions on something before I take it to heart, and even then it may not be true for you. There are so many things that I can't grow which are borderline invasive for other people, and then there's stuff that I can find no reference to it being aggressive and it's trying to take over here. So I think over-all experience teaches you best and having people to chat about with it in the same area is an invaluable resource! Not to mention all the wonderful new plants I have gotten from the swaps! And, I have to add that from just mentioning on a thread that I wanted something I have been contacted by people ready to just give me stuff for postage a few times. I always try to send something suitable in exchange, but the generousity always touches me. That's my story anyways. -Ais.

Learn the basics by joining a MASTER gardeners program? Er...don't those people just basically SPEAK latin to each other? LOL I always thought that required a lot of prerequisites (as we used to say at the ol' U). And where would I go to find one? And would they let me in!?

My problem with just trying to grow everything and sitting back is that I sit there and ask myself, "er...should you be cutting this back now?...would a bit of fertilizer help along about now?...are you giving this thing too much water or not enough? Trial and error is great but a lot of plants bite the dust along the way!

I think the biggest thing I have learned (and it took a while) is that nature doesn't follow strict rules - or as I like to point out here on this forum - plants can't read! To many times I see or hear "expert" gardeners say "that won't grow here" or "you can only grow it this way". There are always exceptions to the rules. Trust me, out there somewhere, someone is growing cactus underwater.

Gardening means different things to different people. Some people like the physical labor aspect while others want instant satisfaction. What's good enough for me is often sub standard for others. If working with dirt is enjoyable to you then you are way ahead of the pack. Dirt is where it all begins (and ends!). You can't have a good garden without good dirt. So much of how a garden looks is related to soil and weather. Improving the soil is a life long process - it is never finished. Soil is living breathing life form all unto itself. Some people start off with better soil for certain plants. All I know is that the more attention you pay to the quality of your soil the better your garden will be. Disease and weather are pretty much out of your control. You can buffer their affects but thats about all you can do.

The Master Gardener program is side shoot of the Cooperative Extension Service run through your areas Ag School. They are really there to deal with the many questions that seem to get asked over and over again and to interface with the gardening public. The program is different under different University departments. Some are technical while others are very relaxed. All require extensive training on your part and then you get to volunteer so many hours to stay in the program. Most folks I know enjoy belonging to the group and feel that the training is worth it in the end.

Instead, I intend to spend my time inventing a literacy program for plants and animals - I figure it will be easier to teach them to read than teaching the complexities of latin scientific names to human beings.

"Trial and error is great but a lot of plants bite the dust along the way."

That's why I propagate a lot of my own stuff, using cuttings, divisions and seed. Then I don't feel bad if something doesn't make it.

I learned, a lot actually, from reading the catalogs of local NC nurseries like Niche Gardens and Plant Delights. They have display gardens where they try the plants in our climate to see how they will do. Niche Gardens even has the pronunciation of the scientific names, which is very helpful. I also can't say enough about the writings of Elizabeth Lawrence. She lived and gardened in NC all of her life and wrote extensively about her experiences. Michael Dirr's Manual of Woody Landscape Plants is a must-have reference. Michael Dirr is a treasure, he will be very hard to replace when he retires.

First of all I know that I still have ALOT to learn. What I have learned so far is a result of diving head first into the subject and reading everything I could get my hands on. Then I found the internet and I'm finding new sources of info all the time. I agree with Alicia that once you learn to propogate your own plants the pressure to succeed in growing any one plant diminishes- I can always try again. Even if you have to drive a long way plant swaps are invaluable as well because many of the same plants are available on a regular basis so that you can try again if you don't succeed the first time and you can talk face to face with someone who does grow it successfully. As far as Master Gardeners go- I would not be intimidated with the program as long as you have time to do it. I haven't but I've met people in the program locally by going to their plant sales and believe me they are just like you and me.

I believe that success comes from persistence and enjoying the hands on part as much as the results.

That is a very interesting question..... I got as many books as I could from the library, garage sales, and borrowed from friends and read them, taking notes in a journal about info I didn't want to forget. I also purchased a couple of good reference books on general gardening, annuals, and perennials. I joined the town's garden club and it opened up a new world of education and friends. About 5 years after that, I became a master gardener. The MG program is not just a course, it is a volunteer commitment. It is not just "for people to take." I received so much from the course and participating as a MG. That was about 10 years ago. Now I attend 2 garden clubs and belong to a plant society going to their local meetings. There is always lots to learn in the horticulture field. Good luck. It sounds like you have been bitten by the bug!

... trial and error - Honestly, that's the only way I learned what I know. You can read, talk to others, etc. etc. but I think hands on is the best way to really learn.
Also, not being hard on yourself and enjoying gardening as a hobby of constant learning and wonderful rewards. Carrie

Linda,
All of the above. :) I have learned so much by reading, reading, reading AND trial and error. Speaking with other gardeners in your area is so valuable. There is a great gardening column in the Charlotte newspaper that I try not to miss, because it tells when to do the things like cutting back, planting, etc. Since I am a FL transplant, the processes are very different here; the seasons are almost backwards in terms of when to plant (tomatoes for example). And I've learned to amend the clay, but that's similar to what I used to do in FL with the coral rock that was an inch below the surface. Some things are universal, it seems, and others we just learn along the way.
Good luck and happy gardening! Rosemary

Again, all of the above !

I'm a Yankee transplant who, while enthalled by the Southern plantings, was an apartment dweller for nearly a decade, until about 4 years ago.

When finally getting my own little chunk of dirt I was mortified ! Yipes - where do I start ?!? Well, I started w/the big guns - professional landscapers to design and sculpt my bowl of butterscotch pudding (clay backyard w/drainage issues) into what has been called a nod to Charleston .... or as I better see it, a Back Bay (Boston) courtyard. Say what you will about the 'pros', but these guys worked wonders for me and are just a call away w/my stupid questions. Most impressive to me was their insight into the nuances of shading and seasonal needs of my yards - no way could I have done what they did myself, and every year since the installation, the goal is better met.

Heavy lifting done, I've endeavored to read, read, read and read some more and keep it going. And, I have kept it going, adding, subtracting, succeeding and failing - it's all part of the game.

Gardening is always a work in progress, as I am learning - and often, it seems the more I learn the dumber I get. But, that's all part of it too.

One cannot fool Mother Nature - don't even try - just have fun (and read here alot!).

Trial and error mostly. I use to look at plants and they'd shrivel up and die, but I loved growing things (when it worked) and getting my hands in the soil, so I kept going. I think my fatherinlaw's enthusiasm helped too. He looked at things with such an easy eye. He enjoyed the beauty in everything around him even a simple wild flower blooming as nature and God intended.

After my kids graduated gardening was a way of letting go for me (going to be lots more of that in the near future too, lol). Kept me sane and an added bonus was it became something hubby and I could do together and enjoyed.

My kids now think it comes from a magical green thumb, but I've tried to teach them it came from persistence. I had to grow that green thumb and that came with a 'LOT' of dead plants and failures, hours upon hours of reading, talking to people, sweat and again trial and error.

That green thumb grows moldy all too often and you have to move something to a better spot or shovel prune and toss another plant on the compost pile where it will finally do some good because it sure wasn't working in the ground! ...but you don't let that stop you. You keep plugging on and with every mistake and every success you learn something. Slowly your successes become more than the failures and one day you look and go Wow, that really works there and cool, that plant gave that bed just the touch I was going for!

My Master Herbalist friend calls it 'paying your dues.' She's right, there's no magic bullet, green thumb or precise formula. What works for one may not for another. Find what works for you.

I was a horse trainer. My boss (who owned a store) asked me one day if I would run is nursery portion of the business. I told him I didn't know the first thing about it and he said "you'll learn".

He taught me a lot himself and paired me up with people that had expertise in different areas.

One day he brought in YET ANOTHER truck load of hanging ferns. I had already killed at least three truck loads. I had to call my grandmother on that one. Once she told me her methods we had the best ferns around.

I have come a long way but like others have said, have a long way to go. I have switched careers but have gotten the garden bug for good. I learn the most nowdays from these forums right here.

I have to say alot of what I have learned (am learning)has come from this forum and wintersowing and both have led to alot of experiences. I have posted just about any and every question a new gardener has ever asked and sometimes twice. I always got a positive response.

I read anything I can get my hands on. The majority of it doesn't stick until I put it together with growing it for myself. I also have learned to focus on articles and people who have gardened in my area. I love the Southern Living gardening books. They have taken into account the heat zones. Learning to relax and just have fun is key. If it stresses you out its not worth it. Get dirty. Things have a tendency to grow when we don't love them to much. Shannon/Dirtrx

I am a Yankee transplant also and have learned by reading the local newspaper garden section, and using library books. Also, I made it a point to look for others in my neighborhood who have beautiful gardens, and get in touch with them via my "dear gardener letter". They usually get in touch within a few days and now I have 3 neighbors to swap with and learn from. It's wonderful! If I ever get such a letter, first I will be quite stunned, then flattered to think someone else saw my garden and thought it worthy of praise. I wont get my hopes up, since most people are in too much of a hurry to notice. I hope I am wrong. But it's a good way to find other serious gardeners to learn from and share divisions.

I enjoy studying catalogues and reading books by Elizabeth Lawrence and Pamela Harper. Since Orene Horton's death, our newspaper has been terribly inadequate about gardening information, although there are several fine columnists who occasionally contribute. I subscribe to Fine Gardening and Horticulture and find it useful to re-read the issues.

Ages ago, HGTV used to carry Gardener's Diary (no, it doesn't come on here at 7 a.m.). I find the Southern Living Garden Book very helpful as a resource, as well as Allan Armitage's book on annuals and biennials. I'd love to be able to afford Dirr's Manual for Warmer Climates. Visiting the Botanical Garden here in Columbia and outstanding gardens such as Philip Jenkins' are wonderful for inspiring ideas. I'd enjoy getting involved with the Master Gardener program some time. I often ask questions right here when I'm stumped about a plant.

My own garden is probably my best teacher. I wish I were more disciplined about record-keeping, but taking lots of digital photos really helps me see my garden in a way I don't seem able any other way, in addition to preserving how the garden looks at certain times. In fact, one of the most astonishing results of picture-taking is that often my garden will appear much better than I remember it, but perhaps that's because I don't photograph failed plant combinations or the plants riddled by insects! Still, to have a visual reminder of what works in the garden is a tremendous boost to self-confidence.

I've been re-reading one of my Elizabeth Lawrence books, and I'm struck by how often she candidly admits that a plant fails to bloom or to live. If it happens to the most skilled gardener, then how bad is it when it happens to us?

Ask people here and in nurseries. Not the nurseries attached to big stores, they are fine for shopping but they often don't know much about plants. I ask people who live here what will grow here.