yes from seed, they are quite tall now, they grow about 18 inches. Back to this flower science thing, where do you suggest i learn or do i not bother and just concentrate on my plant list?
Dear Ashley, Respect for your persistence! As Pete says, you don't need to know a lot of science to be a gardener, nor, I should imagine, to be a valuable volunteer in a garden centre. But knowing some of the science does make it more interesting. If it's any consolation, I have a degree in biology, and I never entirely understood photosynthesis! It involves some mysterious (to me) chemistry, but here's the essence of it:
Growing plants take up water from the soil through their roots, and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through their leaves. These then combine to produce glucose and oxygen. But this reaction isn't spontaneous, it needs an input of energy to make it happen. This energy is provided by sunlight. Green plants are green because they are full of a green pigment called chlorophyll. This chlorophyll absorbs sunlight, and somehow feeds the energy into this chemical reaction (that's the bit I never quite grasped, but never mind.) The oxygen is released into the atmosphere, and the glucose turned into lots of different compounds that give the flowers their colour and fragrance, and fatten the fruits, and support growth, and make the plants tasty, or poisonous, or any of the other innumerable features which makes each species unique.
For ongoing learning, it seems from what you've told us about yourself, that you need gardening friends and lots of them, who can show you what they're doing and explain why they're doing it. Are there any gardening clubs round your way? The RHS has local groups who might be glad to help you.
I do hope you get the help and encouragement you're looking for. You say you're "from" North Wales, where do you live now? I live in Llandudno. Maybe we could meet up.
I'M near Caernarfon so not far away. I emailed RHS and they said to do a course with them to learn the basics but i dont want to do a course. Do you know of any books?
Don't bother about the science - it doesn't sound like you're enjoying it, and there's no need to learn it
You've had success with your sweet peas, so you've learned how to sow the seed and take care of the little plants and they're doing well. All that and you nothing about how plants work, so you have proved that you don't need to know or understand the science. In your work at the garden centre you see when plants come into flower and how the staff including you treat them. Learn a little by little about the plants. I'm sure you're happy watching the telly without understanding how it works.
I've been gardening for about 50 years now and it has only been in the last few years I've wanted to understand more about plants and google is a good learning tool. The sort of thing you want to learn about is the plants themselves. Which plants look good together - which plants are good for dry shade - all that sort of stuff. You can pick it up at work and we're all here on the forum to help.
Forget the science for now - enjoy learning how to keep plants Learning is best when you enjoy it
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
As I mentioned above - I've been at it for over 50yrs now. My Dad bought me a really good set of books from which I leanred all the basics. It's old now of course, but it was written in the days when home gardening was not so scientific. It's all quite straitforward and easy to understand and it's where I gained all my early knowledge about gardening
Posts
Good - how are they doing?
Did you sow then from seed?
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
yes from seed, they are quite tall now, they grow about 18 inches. Back to this flower science thing, where do you suggest i learn or do i not bother and just concentrate on my plant list?
Dear Ashley, Respect for your persistence! As Pete says, you don't need to know a lot of science to be a gardener, nor, I should imagine, to be a valuable volunteer in a garden centre. But knowing some of the science does make it more interesting. If it's any consolation, I have a degree in biology, and I never entirely understood photosynthesis! It involves some mysterious (to me) chemistry, but here's the essence of it:
Growing plants take up water from the soil through their roots, and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through their leaves. These then combine to produce glucose and oxygen. But this reaction isn't spontaneous, it needs an input of energy to make it happen. This energy is provided by sunlight. Green plants are green because they are full of a green pigment called chlorophyll. This chlorophyll absorbs sunlight, and somehow feeds the energy into this chemical reaction (that's the bit I never quite grasped, but never mind.) The oxygen is released into the atmosphere, and the glucose turned into lots of different compounds that give the flowers their colour and fragrance, and fatten the fruits, and support growth, and make the plants tasty, or poisonous, or any of the other innumerable features which makes each species unique.
For ongoing learning, it seems from what you've told us about yourself, that you need gardening friends and lots of them, who can show you what they're doing and explain why they're doing it. Are there any gardening clubs round your way? The RHS has local groups who might be glad to help you.
I do hope you get the help and encouragement you're looking for. You say you're "from" North Wales, where do you live now? I live in Llandudno. Maybe we could meet up.
I'M near Caernarfon so not far away. I emailed RHS and they said to do a course with them to learn the basics but i dont want to do a course. Do you know of any books?
Well done!
Don't bother about the science - it doesn't sound like you're enjoying it, and there's no need to learn it
You've had success with your sweet peas, so you've learned how to sow the seed and take care of the little plants and they're doing well. All that and you nothing about how plants work, so you have proved that you don't need to know or understand the science.
In your work at the garden centre you see when plants come into flower and how the staff including you treat them. Learn a little by little about the plants.
I'm sure you're happy watching the telly without understanding how it works.
I've been gardening for about 50 years now and it has only been in the last few years I've wanted to understand more about plants and google is a good learning tool.
The sort of thing you want to learn about is the plants themselves. Which plants look good together - which plants are good for dry shade - all that sort of stuff. You can pick it up at work and we're all here on the forum to help.
Forget the science for now - enjoy learning how to keep plants
Learning is best when you enjoy it
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
As I mentioned above - I've been at it for over 50yrs now.
My Dad bought me a really good set of books from which I leanred all the basics.
It's old now of course, but it was written in the days when home gardening was not so scientific.
It's all quite straitforward and easy to understand and it's where I gained all my early knowledge about gardening
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Readers-Digest-Complete-Library-of-the-Garden-3-volumes-1st-editions-/152609003520?hash=item2388349800:g:Sc0AAOSwnHZYiNbz
I think you'd find it very helpful and easy to understand
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Almost all of us here have simply learned by doing
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.