Do you have a green thumb? I don't. I have succeeded in killing everything I've ever planted whether it be flower, herb or vegetable. But I just found some inspiration in an unlikely source: Gwyneth Paltrow.
I would love to have a vegetable garden, but living in the city makes it even more difficult to learn. Not only do I have very little outdoor space, but it happens to be five flights down from my apartment. Obviously, that does not help much in the motivation department.
But I am a big fan of Gwyneth Paltrow's GOOP and when I saw that yesterday's newsletter included a how-to lesson from her friend (and garden expert) José Marqués, it gave me the confidence to give it another shot. I'm used to gardening looking beautiful but this actually looked easy.
José received a set of 10 Heirloom Vegetables from D. Landreth Seed Co. from Beekman Farm and planted some in a mini-greenhouse to help the seeds germinate. Perhaps the mini-greenhouse can save plants from my black thumbs? Here is how they did it (and what I'll be doing this weekend!)
It looks like all I need are seed trays, moist, nutrient-rich soil, gloves and a mister. You can see how José filled 3/4 of the trays with soil, removing rocks and big chunks, then poured in about 4-5 seeds per pod with bigger seeds going in bigger pods.
To oxygenate the soil, José brought in worms. And to section off the larger trays, he used bamboo sticks to divvy things up.
Misting the plants generously twice a week then closing the mini-greenhouse (available at hardware stores) makes for a moist and warm climate for the seeds to grow. But will it be enough to reverse my terrible gardening luck? Stay tuned...
For more gardening tips, check out:
A Beginner's Guide to Succulents, The Plants You Just Can't Kill
America's Most Fascinating Public Gardens
5 Great Garden Apps
Photo: Age Fotostock
I would love to have a vegetable garden, but living in the city makes it even more difficult to learn. Not only do I have very little outdoor space, but it happens to be five flights down from my apartment. Obviously, that does not help much in the motivation department.
But I am a big fan of Gwyneth Paltrow's GOOP and when I saw that yesterday's newsletter included a how-to lesson from her friend (and garden expert) José Marqués, it gave me the confidence to give it another shot. I'm used to gardening looking beautiful but this actually looked easy.
José received a set of 10 Heirloom Vegetables from D. Landreth Seed Co. from Beekman Farm and planted some in a mini-greenhouse to help the seeds germinate. Perhaps the mini-greenhouse can save plants from my black thumbs? Here is how they did it (and what I'll be doing this weekend!)
Photo: Goop.com
It looks like all I need are seed trays, moist, nutrient-rich soil, gloves and a mister. You can see how José filled 3/4 of the trays with soil, removing rocks and big chunks, then poured in about 4-5 seeds per pod with bigger seeds going in bigger pods.
Photo: Goop.com
To oxygenate the soil, José brought in worms. And to section off the larger trays, he used bamboo sticks to divvy things up.
Photo: Goop.com
Misting the plants generously twice a week then closing the mini-greenhouse (available at hardware stores) makes for a moist and warm climate for the seeds to grow. But will it be enough to reverse my terrible gardening luck? Stay tuned...
For more gardening tips, check out:
A Beginner's Guide to Succulents, The Plants You Just Can't Kill
America's Most Fascinating Public Gardens
5 Great Garden Apps