When did you realise you were a 'proper' gardener?

[rustylady]

The children are now used to me asking for compost for my birthday. Son usually gets me a big bale with a ribbon taped to the top

[sarraceniac]

Lots of little things. Being stopped in the street by a neighbour who I didn't even know so she could describe a plant to ask me what it was; not moving away from bees round my plants; when my sister told me that she was buying us a new telly for the rec room telling her to buy us a rotavator instead (fortunately Boss lady humoured me); but mostly getting up at 3 a.m. with wellies and a torch to look for slugs because it was raining.

[Pumpkin Becki]

When my MIL asked me for advice!!

[Flummery]

Nice to know there is someone else that doesn't wear gloves

And me. I have a horrid black finger and thumb now from podding broadies yesterday. It disguises the ingrained 'green finger' stuff!

[timmyalex]

What great responses.

For me, although really new to all this, it was earlier this month when i put a picture of my veg plot as wallpaper on my PC at work. The office cleaner, an allotment holder of many years standing, came into my office and praised the quality of my plants and i was able to hold a meaningful conversation regarding the joys of growing your own vegetables.

I also check the beds every day and sometimes at night but getting up at 3.00 to look for slugs........!!!???

Loving every minute of it.

[lainey lou]

When I realised that however long I scrub my weeding finger and thumb I can't ever get them clean!

LOL! Permadirt!
I have a nightmare with this as a nurse my hands have got to look (and be) clean. Have to try to remember to wear gloves at the lottie, but usually get to carried away in what I'm doing!
Still don't feel like a "proper gardener" cause everyone else seems so much more experienced (and older!!) than me.

[organic vic]

I have only been gardening for 2 years and this is my first year of GYO but lots of people I don't know walk past my garden and ask if they can have a look around and ask advice! My friend runs a landscaping and wood chipping business and she actually sends people round to my garden even though she didn't do anything to it! My neighbours (who got me into gardening by telling me off for the state of my garden a week after I moved in!) now ask my advice. I have never used gloves to remove blackfly but my fingernails are always dirty and I can't get rid of it and I used to be a beauty therapist! But soaking them in lemon juice helps!

[SMS6]

I'll think I'm a proper gardener if I ever get to be MOM.

My neighbours are always asking me about different plants and how to grow this or that - they must think I'm a proper gardener already bless em. They're both in their 80s but like to look after their garden, obsessed with their lawn though. They only set it from seed when they moved in a couple of years ago but they're constantly trying to get it like a bowling green whereas we just mow ours and live with the more moss than grass - moss is green isn't it so where's the difference :-)

[phil the shed]

when without thinking i was talking sense at the garden centre and the people there asked me questions instead of the assistant who was out of his depth.....answering questions posed to him about potato plantin in bags and raised beds.

made my OH laugh and she walked away calling me an anorak.......
call me what you like but i knew iwas enjoying it

[womble]

I don't think I am, I know people that know way way more than me and seem to get good results almost all the time, while I seem to be constantly struggling. Although it is getting better.
I am a perfectionist which can be a problem Everyone else says it's all wonderful etc and I know loads, but I can see the problems they can't

I don't think I'll ever think of myself as a proper gardener tbh.

[Twinkle]

And me. I have a horrid black finger and thumb now from podding broadies yesterday. It disguises the ingrained 'green finger' stuff!

and prepping globe artichokes makes them black too

I realised it when I was at work one day (pharmacist) and a nurse came in to ask my advice....

"How far apart should I plant my strawberry plants, and what's the best way to prune raspberries ?"

That gave me the first clue - then the doctors used to ring me for plant advice or leave me little notes too.

Now I've quit healthcare and just work as a gardener - it's a lot better for my mental wellbeing too !

[Florence Fennel]

When I was asked at work if I had ever suffered from stress and I replied "No of course not, I grow vegetables".

[Storming Norman]

I don't think I'm a 'proper' gardener either, but the OH must do.

He didn't bad an eyelid when I asked for a shed for the allotment for my birthday.

He did, however, tell his friend who said that if he dared to buy his wife a shed she would make him sleep in it.

He must think I'm a proper nutter.

[Florence Fennel]

I don't think I'm a 'proper' gardener either, but the OH must do.

He didn't bad an eyelid when I asked for a shed for the allotment for my birthday.

He did, however, tell his friend who said that if he dared to buy his wife a shed she would make him sleep in it.

He must think I'm a proper nutter.

My OH often asks me why I don't sleep in the shed so I can spend even more time in the garden! Mmmm tempting ...

[sewer rat]

When I realised that however long I scrub my weeding finger and thumb I can't ever get them clean

Tell me about it - and just to emphasise the point that I have permanenly ingrained soil, my darling wife insists on hanging white towels in my washroon - then moans that they are black after the first wash !!