• @Slartibartfast

    1. take advantage of others’ wisdom.

    Check out a local gardening group to learn from experienced people; To look up public resources about what grows well in your area instead of immediately jumping in to trying to keep something happy that has particular care needs. In the US, garden or agricultural extensions, and understanding what ‘USDA grow zone’ you live in, go a long way towards selecting plants that will thrive in your area and set you and your garden up for success.

    1. to learn to listen to what plants are telling us. learning to observe growth and behavior to evaluate health is a skill that applies to a lot of different plants and helps you build experience, independence, and thinking skills instead of focusing on what the packet says and doing that to the exclusion of what the plant is asking for.
    • Adding to this, you won’t necessarily know what a plant is saying right away when it looks unhealthy. Other gardeners can help; but also as you get a few seasons on with plants, you’ll learn better how to understand them.