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Gardener of the Month - Featuring Veronica from Singapore
It's time to meet our first Gardener of the Month! Each month, we'll be celebrating the most active members of our community by nominating them for special categories. This April, we're delighted to introduce our ‘Transplanting Hero’, Veronica!
Hi, Veronica! What is gardening to you? What role does it play in your life?
Gardening is the act of personally growing and tending to plants for personal use or as a hobby. Here’s how it benefits my life:
- Plants relieve stress, mainly due to their appearance. They tend to disrupt the monotony of my work space. By staring at them, it gives my eyes a relaxing break from the computer screen.
- Putting in the effort to raise plants gives me something to look forward to. For instance, if I diligently water a plant, I expect to have flowers or herbs in a few weeks.
- A number of plants I’ve raised from my smart garden have been handed to my friends as presents.
- As a source of herbs: I’ve tried making tea from the leaves of my lavender and peppermint plants and have added my basil leaves to pizza.
- The aroma that my lavender plants produce is very relaxing and so much better than essential oils that are sold commercially.
- Plants serve as perpetual decorations that vary in appearance depending on the stage of their growth.
When did you start growing with us and what’s been the highlight of your indoor gardening journey?
I started using Click & Grow sometime in April 2020, right after the pandemic started. I was so lonely, travel was not allowed, and there was so much uncertainty. I decided to grow my own plants just in case the cost of herbs or vegetables went up since everyone was panic buying.
I hate soil and there was no way I was going to put potting soil on my work desk or in my room. Anything with soil stays outside, which made the Click & Grow option appealing to me.
What advice would you give new growers?
I would advise new growers to:
- Have patience. It’s the first lesson that gardening teaches you. Don't expect a tree one day after you plant a seed.
- Consistency is key. Maintain your plants regularly. Don't do something just because it’s new or because you’re excited about it. Even with a smart garden, you still need to refill that water tank every few days or weeks depending on the plants’ ages. Once the plants have been transplanted, water them regularly, prune them, and give them the care they deserve.
- Don't be overly ambitious. Start with a few plants. It’s common for gardeners to get too happy after 1 week and then they buy 30 more plants, just to realize it’s too hard to keep up with all of them and then the plants become neglected.
- Most importantly, read the manual and instructions! Download the app. Do some research on the plants that you’re growing. Ask someone if you’re not sure what to do.
Stay tuned as we’ll be presenting a new gardener each month, as chosen by our Facebook community. Who knows? It might even be you!
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