Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Green-Ish Thumb

I am not great at keeping plants alive. My herb garden is mostly dying because I still haven't re-potted the plants...but let's be honest, the main draw to having the garden was to have a place right outside my kitchen window where I could easily reach the basil plant...not to grow a garden. Yes, I had grand ideas and visions of myself becoming a great little gardener, but in my heart of hearts, I always knew that really...I just wanted to be able to reach out my kitchen window to grab fresh basil. And since Trader Joe's sells big basil plants for about 3 bucks, I haven't minded having to replace my plant every few months or so. Anyway, the basil is doing ok, and some day, I swear I will re-plant them IN the actual window box. Maybe.

However, I have somehow managed to keep my odd little IKEA plant alive. I don't even know what kind of plant it is - how the heck is it such a little trooper??? I basically water it when it looks dry, every few days or so, and sometimes the water runs right through and sits in the little drainage dish. Then I just let it soak up/evaporate. Sometimes it just soaks right in perfectly. I have no idea what I'm doing with this plant, I swear to god. But somehow, it perseveres. It has gone from a tiny little thing to a bigger little thing...and I've decided to document its growth right here, with a new label I'm calling "greenish thumb." So enjoy!


This is what it looked like in July.




This is what it looked like on Tuesday, November 4. Election night.




This is what it looks like tonight, November 11. Yeah, that sprouting guy is the tiny bud from last week! And note the tiny new bud already growing! This plant is amazing!


Next week, I'll take a full-body shot so you can see how much it's grown... :-) Maybe I'll update on a weekly basis, but probably I'll just update when I feel like it.

3 comments:

  1. Basil's an annual, you'll get a growing season out of it at best. Buy, use, replace! Thyme and rosemary are more fulfilling, they will grow for years and years. Rosemary is particularly easy, you can usually grow it from a clipping stuck in wet dirt.

    Your IKEA plant is an Umbrella Plant. If you want a larger plant, just stick it in a larger pot. I think there is one plant that is even easier for beginners, the Snake Plant. I have to divide mine, maybe I'll send part your way.

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  2. Thanks, Mark! You're so wise! I actually want to grow Rosemary, but I don't think a window box is the best place for it since it grows like crazy.

    Thanks for the tip about the Mystery IKEA Plant. So far, I've just been moving it into bigger pots when it seems like it needs a bigger pot. And I'd love part of your Snake Plant - looks pretty sweet!

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