Having a garden and everything that comes with it, is one of my favorite hobbies and pastimes. As I’m only 3 years in to having a vegetable garden, I’m considered a newbie and miles away from any kind of “master gardener” status. I devour gardening books and magazines, and have tried to absorb gardening knowledge from my great aunt, grandparents and my parents, making small mistakes and learning along with way. So far, I’ve done pretty well.
But this year I made a doozie of a mistake.
My Great Aunt Dot swore by mixing Bone Meal in her soil before sowing her seeds and planting her plants. Year after year, her tomatoes were most delicious, and her green beans were the sweetest and crispest ever. So, with that, I too have mixed in Bone Meal with my potting soil.
This year, though, I went to the garden center to buy a bag, and in my careless way, and without even noticing my mistake until I got home, I bought a bag of Blood Meal.
Deciding to use it anyway, and knowing both meals are made with the intent of helping gardens and plants prosper, I mixed it in the soil.
A couple days in to tending to my garden trays, the soil started to smell something awful. As luck would have it, we had a sunny and warmish day to get the trays outside to absorb some sun and get some fresh air. Enter the gnats and flies. They swarmed my trays, and were completely attracted to the Blood Meal. Little did I know, the pests also laid some eggs.
I solicited a helper or two to help me water, and with a combination of their heavy watering hands, and the warmth of the radiators, those eggs hatched, and my garden was history.
Every. Last. Plant.
#gardenfail
Take 2.
I had to start over. And this time, I slowed down enough to ensure that I bought Bone Meal. I mixed the soil and sowed the seeds carefully.
So far, no off smells. I have found that 20 squirts of water twice daily is the right recipe for my sprouts. My garden is a growing.
Lesson learned. Blood Meal is best when used in outdoor containers and gardening, not for plants started indoors. And, even when in a hurry, pay attention to what you are buying.
