Hi

[Brown Thumb]

My screen name was chosen for a good reason; any plant that I get a hold of dies. It has always been that way. I have been given a couple of new plants, and I hope you guys can help me save them!

 

[Jan]

Tell us what they are, perhaps someone can help you. Everyone has to learn and we were all new to it at the beginning.

 

[marlingardener]

Welcome! No one has a brown thumb, just the wrong plants in the wrong place. Let us know what you have, or better yet, post both the ID and a picture, and let us know where you are and your growing zone if you know it. We'll all pitch in and you will be overrun with happy and healthy plants!

 

[Becky]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

We'll turn that brown thumb green, have no fear

 

[Sheal]

Welcome to the forum Brown Thumb. I bet everyone here has a particular gardening/plant issue, so you're not alone with this. I'm hopeless with house plants, they suffer until they give up completely.

 

[Rajesh Sethi]

Hi, never put all your eggs in one basket.

 

[Brown Thumb]

Hi, thank you for all the greetings! I don't know anything about IDs or zones, and I have no way to take photos… But I posted a thread in the perennial forum about the spectacular foxglove I was given on Mother's Day that was completely limp, brown and dead after a week, if anyone is interested. I was also given a mint plant, which miraculously seems to be very happy in my windowsill with no direct sunlight so far; it's even got some new little leaves coming out. So now I'm afraid to touch it for fear that any change will kill it, LOL.

 

[Sheal]

Mint is quite a tough plant so should thrive if you don't over water it.

 

[Greenhorn]

I don't know anything about IDs or zones

Put your zip code in the top left box (see link below) for your USDA zone. A plants zone suggests what climate it is appropriate for. You typically want plants suitable for your zone. Most plant web site will suggest a plants zone. USDA is usually about low temperature thresholds. Good learning opportunity.

http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/

 

[Brown Thumb]

Put your zip code in the top left box (see link below) for your USDA zone. A plants zone suggests what climate it is appropriate for. You typically want plants suitable for your zone. Most plant web site will suggest a plants zone. USDA is usually about low temperature thresholds. Good learning opportunity.

http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/

Thanks! I went to that link, and got this:

Zone 10a : 30 to 35 (F)

… Although I'm not sure how much that applies to this situation, since this is spring and not winter. While looking at other websites trying to find out what the different zones meant, I found another one that said that a foxglove needs to be watered once a week in extreme heat and drought conditions... So why was it dead in a week after being given plenty of water in temperatures of 80°F and below? Do they need water every day, once a week, some other time frame?

 

[Greenhorn]

As mention in the other thread, is that in the ground? Container dry out very much faster. Also be cautious with that, in anther zone there could be cooler weather and precipitation or even heavy humidity - fog. 10a is actually desert.

 

[Rajesh Sethi]

Mint need to be cut for every growth of 2-3 inch, help it to branch else you will have a single long stem crawling out of the container.

 

[Brown Thumb]

As mention in the other thread, is that in the ground? Container dry out very much faster. Also be cautious with that, in anther zone there could be cooler weather and precipitation or even heavy humidity - fog. 10a is actually desert.

I don't have anywhere to put a plant in the ground, so the foxglove is in a container.

That's funny that an area where the temperature is about 72°F for most of the year is considered desert; I guess dryness trumps temperature. Is the foxglove doomed?

 

[Brown Thumb]

Mint need to be cut for every growth of 2-3 inch, help it to branch else you will have a single long stem crawling out of the container.

Thank you for that tip! The guy who gave it to me had just cut off a bunch of leaves to use in a cooking project… Is that why I have a bunch of little baby leaves coming out now?

 

[alp]

Welcome, Brown Thumb!