Garden Miracles

Posted by Jamie McIntosh Dec 28, 2008

I’m not sure how long Sea-Monkeys have been around, but I know they’ve been around for at least 30 years, because I remember my fascination with them as a child. Actually, I wasn’t fascinated with the actual living Sea-Monkeys that eventually hatched from the packet of powder I received with my Sea-Monkey kit. Rather, I was enchanted with the image of these crowned creatures with smiling faces pictured on the package. Suspension of disbelief is at the root of many childhood fantasies, so this week I watched my children patiently wait for their new Sea-Monkey pets to materialize from the same kind of powdery packet sold in the back of comic books for decades.

Unfortunately, adults aren’t immune to the same kind of wishful thinking used to market Sea-Monkeys. The garden catalogs are arriving daily now, and in my state of cabin fever delirium, I hunger to find a kernel of truth in some of the spectacular descriptions and photos I see before me. However, after several expensive mistakes, I’ve learned that although someone might be able to grow “an entire fruit orchard on one tree,” that person isn’t me. I’ve also learned that descriptions like “grows in any condition” or “spreads like wildfire” is code for noxious weeds.

Many reputable plantsmen sell their goods through catalogs and websites. These vendors give gardeners living in small towns the opportunity to purchase plants otherwise unavailable at the local nursery. Nevertheless, if a plant or garden product sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Check with your local county extension agent to get an expert’s opinion on that far-fetched item that makes your green thumb itch before you part with your money.