Those humbling mistake

by Amanda Montejano
(Ventura CA)

Gorgeous Begonia Flowers

Hi Your website is honest and humbling about learning from your mistakes. Inspiring too.

I've wanted to see what it's like working for a family-owned plant nursery since I enjoy being around plants and trying to grow them(I apologize to the plants that don't make it).

My current work experience background is customer service. It's been a few weeks now and I finally understand why I've procrastinated on applying...

I'm afraid to make mistakes, especially with plants that are someone else's way of living. I'm not sure what I'm trying to ask. As a horticulturist, did you go through something similar when you first started? How did you become open to learning from your mistakes? Thank you for your time

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Jul 23, 2020

Mistakes - let me tell you about mistakes...
by: Jacki Cammidge, Certified Horticulturist

There was really no excuse for this one, except that I'm short and couldn't see over the shelf.

One day, working in a family owned greenhouse in Dawson Creek, I was doing the watering in one of the six or so greenhouses and overfilled the flat with newly potted Begonia tubers.

The boss gave me lots of flack over that one, and rightly so. What kind of horticulturist fills the flat with water - it could have completely rotted all those tubers. So, learning from that, get the step ladder and LOOK at it, don't just do it by rote because that's what you usually do.

Note; the flats usually had drain holes in, so it was unusual to have plants in pots in one that didn't have holes in.

You will never know everything. There is always something else to learn, whether it's how to grow a new plant that you've never come across before, or how to propagate plants and get even better results.

I'm pleased with my successes, so I concentrate on those, rather than the number of plants I've doomed by my inattention or ignorance. Don't let this fear stop you! If you have a yearning to know about plants, and want to have success with some aspect of growing them, never give up.

And, as you say at the beginning of your question, stay humble. Keep observing, reading and listening to others.

Thank you for your question!

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