Is gardening in the blood or something learned?

[4390evans]

I remember when I was a kid my dad would take me to his allotment all day with him in the hot summer heat while he puttied his greenhouse and I went behind him scraping it all out to play with

Then again with my granddad he would bring home all these veg for my nana with all the muck still on, I think the only thing my nana bought was sugar meat and gravy my granddad lived off the lad.

Then my step dad went on to grow some veg in his back garden when I was about 19, I was the only one who ate it like but it was nice and he was so over the moon with what he had grew.

I got into gardening about 4 year ago but didn't grow anything at first just pottered about tidying things up etc but now I find myself getting excited over flowers or new veg I didn't know existed (my family has always been a potato, carrots and cauli kind of lot). I get disappointed when my seedlings fail, and get excited when its a dry day and I can get out in the garden.

What do you reckon is it in the blood or something learned?

[robmarston]

I'm the only gardener in my family and my parents and grandparents had no interest. My brother sees the appeal but he spends his time travelling and going to concerts! I just love watching things grow and the smell of the soil.


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[mothhawk]

Probably a bit of both. My grandfather grew all the veg his family ate as did most folk I suppose. They always kept a pig, too, up till the end of the war, for meat. My mum can grow anything - absolute green fingers to the armpit, but mostly grew flowers. From a tiny child I helped both.
I wonder if giving up growing veg, and buying instead, was a bit of one-upmanship - look, we earn enough money that we don't need to grow our own food any more.
Now the trend has turned again, back to fresh home-grown food.

[chris]

No one in my family is into gardening - I got into it from my enjoyment of cooking.

I wanted to use the best / freshest ingredients I could afford - grown without the use if chemicals... So what better way to obtain them?


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[Compo72]

Gardening gives you a sense of well being
You find yourself relaxed and content with life
Away from the consumerism of modern life

It's one of those things that makes us all equal
We all have to rely on the land to grow our crops

You learn as you go along . The gardener who never has had a crop fail or flowers die , does not exist

Whether I'm just doing a bit of weeding or washing a few pots out . I'm happy to be "out there " tinkering on as the wife puts it




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[noviceveggrower]

I am not a great gardener. I have some things grow and some things that never make an appearance. I enjoy it though and I do find gardening very relaxing.
My moms side of the family all grew or are growing things in gardens or allotments.
My dads side of the family also grew on allotments. My mom and dad only have a small garden but still grow several things in pots.
My sister gardens up to a point. She lives and works in London so leaves a busy life. She does come and visit but I know she would hate spending a few hours at the allotment. She doesn't mind picking stuff and helping that way but not way would she dig.
I don't know wether it is how we are raised as both my sister and I helped my Granddad and various other family members garden but we are two totally different people when it comes to the outdoor life.

[Alison]

Definitely learnt but often that can be from the people you see as a child. Don't believe in things being in the blood, we are all capable of making our own choices.

[Kristen]

Neither of my parents were gardeners, it was something I started doing in my early teens. Subsequently my parents became gardeners ...

[bretty666]

Loved seeing my grandads garden..i think up until the age of about eleven that was the only inspiration i had...then i was a teenager and.....well....i was a teenage young man! I met my wife to be when i was 15 and she lived on a farm and then i got interested again and im still with her..trying to grow veg and a family. it will definately be in my kids blood..they love it. o cant get out and plant on my own! Im 30 but feel a lot older in my head!

[Alison]

Loved seeing my grandads garden..i think up until the age of about eleven that was the only inspiration i had...then i was a teenager and.....well....i was a teenage young man! I met my wife to be when i was 15 and she lived on a farm and then i got interested again and im still with her..trying to grow veg and a family. it will definately be in my kids blood..they love it. o cant get out and plant on my own! Im 30 but feel a lot older in my head!

Two things surprised me with this post, firstly I always read you name as Betty so thought you were female and secondly (think it's the Betty things again) had it in my head that you were far older than 30 - then again, you're the second grape I've given a sex change to in the past few weeks so think it might be something I need to work on a bit

[Kristen]

you're the second grape I've given a sex change to in the past few weeks so think it might be something I need to work on a bit

You learning to be a surgeon then? Never realised that ...

[Alison]

You learning to be a surgeon then? Never realised that ...

It's amazing what you learn isn't it???? By the way, I always read your name as Kirsten (think it's cos the next door neighbour is called that )

[rhonsal]

I think encouragement was what got me started - I was lucky to have a gran, uncles and my mum who were/are all keen gardeners and they used to let me help ( probably easier than telling me no )

Strange thing is that we all prefer different plants/styles which makes unique in own ways!

[Kristen]

I was lucky to have a gran, uncles and my mum who were/are all keen gardeners

My kids swear that they will never ever have a garden - they are fed up with the kitchen table, work-surfaces, floor, ... all being press-ganged into service for pricking out, growing on, ... just because"I needed somewhere and I needed it NOW"

Perhaps I ought to take that tray of chitting potatoes off my daughter's bedroom windowsill?