Once again, as I laid my seed packets on the counter at the check-out, the cashier felt the need to tell me that she had a black thumb and couldn’t grow anything.
I had three choices.
I could smile and nod in understanding. Maybe I could given her the affirmation she wanted by saying, “Yes, not everyone is blessed with the ability to grow plants. But at least you know you can’t, and so that leaves all the seeds and plants for the rest of us. Thank you!”
Or, I could look concerned, and offer sympathy. “Oh my, I am sorry you can’t grow plants. You have my sympathies.” Then I might back away a step or two, just in case her condition was contagious.
Or, I could choose a third option and look her right in the eyes and say confidently, “You do not have a black thumb, anyone can grow plants, even from seeds.” Then to assure her it wasn’t her fault, I might add, “Probably no one showed you how easy it can be to grow plants.”
I chose the third option, though the conversation was more like,
“I have a black thumb, I can’t grow anything.”
“You don’t have a black thumb, anyone can grow plants.”
“Not me, I have a black thumb.”
“You don’t, I assure you.”
Then she waited while I slid my credit card in the machine to complete my purchase.
Anyway, I’m not sure I converted the cashier in the short amount of time it took to buy my packets of seeds, but I tried.
That’s all we can do is try, whether it is the first time to poke a seed in some soil to see if it really will sprout or whether it is the millionth time. We all have the same thumbs, same seeds, same soil.
So why are some people more successful in growing plants than other people?
Because they have green thumbs?
No, that is not the correct answer.
People are successful with seeds and growing plants because they read the instructions on the back of the seed packet to gain knowledge of what to do.
Or they observed their parents or grandparents sowing seeds and gardening to learn how to garden.
Then they tried. And plants grew.
Because everyone has a green thumb.
Repeat after me. Everyone has a green thumb.
Daisy T. Abbott was right when she wrote, “Success in gardening, indoors or out, is the result of observation and knowledge, not any magical powers.”
(More later on these magical powers.)
Perfect! I love option three and perhaps you influenced her life. Maybe she’ll go on to become a gardener, or at least grow some seeds! Well done!
I hope she does too!
Perfect response, short & sweet. She will try again someday!
I hope so!
It’s like everything you do. Study, keep at it. Like you said observe. Anyone can be a artist. You have to practice. Carpentry you have to know the tools, the wood etc.
Exactly! Sow, sow, sow…
People who love chocolate cannot fathom the idea that some people don’t like chocolate (my nephew doesn’t). People who love dogs are sure you just haven’t found the right dog otherwise you would love dogs like they do. Some people who say they have a black thumb got discouraged from their first experience with plants. But I think some people claim a black thumb because they really don’t like plants. They don’t want to observe or know. They are plant blind and happy in their condition. My dad said houseplants gave him the creeps, especially anything viney. You really can’t get in an extended conversation with a cashier, but in casual conversation if someone tells me they have a black thumb, I ask them what makes them think that? It may be something that, with a little more knowledge, they could have success at. But sometimes they are relieved that they didn’t succeed and are now off the hook.
Not like plants? What! Unfathomable.
When people tell me they have a black thumb, I tell them they don’t. If enough gardeners tell them… maybe someday they’ll realize…they do have a green thumb!
I hope that she tries again! I was lucky enough to grow up with a gardening grandmother that gave me seeds to plant and grow and a fairy loving aunt that took me on hikes in the woods to look for them!