One of the first lessons gardeners learn about plants is they need NPK—nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium—to grow into healthy, strong plants.  

But just as important might be the EIP that gardeners bring to the garden.

EIP?

Yes, EIP—Enthusiasm, Imagination, and Perseverance.

Allow me to explain.

A gardener needs to bring their enthusiasm to gardening. No half-hearted attempts allowed. Bring it all. Your energy, your cheerful attitude, your belief that your garden will be an overwhelming success. That’s what enthusiasm is all about.

Add in some imagination too. What does that mean? It means don’t just look over the fence to see what your neighbor is growing in his or her garden and grow that. Grow what you love. Imagine your garden how you want it to be and then strive to make your garden all of that and then some.

And then top it off with a heap of perseverance. Never give up on your dream of having a wonderful garden. Keep at it. Keep digging and hoeing and weeding. Sure, you can rest every once in a while if you need to, but then get right back to it. Persevere and you’ll be amazed at the results in your garden.

Now, we know there are tests for NPK which allow you to determine if you need to add more of those elements to your garden.  There are currently, however, no tests for EIP levels. They aren’t necessary.  You can safely add more EIP at any time and the results will be beyond your wildest expectations.

Remember, too, to add in some of those trace or minor elements that may be just as important as EIP. No, I’m not talking about elements like iron or magnesium which also benefit the plant. I’m referring to Ex and C, which stand for Experimentation and Creativity.

Experiment in your garden! Not sure a plant will grow well? Experiment a bit and try to grow it anyway.  Not sure if those different flowers will work well together. Be creative and put them together.

The results may surprise you! A little Ex and C may take your wonderful garden over the top and make it a garden like no other.  Which is exactly what you want!

Since we are now talking about these previously undiscussed elements, I might as well tell you about exciting research about how plants can take S and turn it into Ca.  That’s right. They can take your stress and turn it into your calm, just by you being around them. Plants are amazing like that.

We are just beginning with all these discoveries! I’m sure through my research I’ll find even more elements we’ve never realized impacted our gardens and us. As soon as I find out more, I’ll report it all here first.

In the meantime, what are you waiting for?  The good news about E, I, P, Ex, and C is they are free and there’s an unlimited supply. So don’t try to hoard them all for yourself. Share them with everyone. And encourage other gardeners to do the same. Then watch your S turn to Ca.

The results will be amazing!