Solid advice. I've become a fairly prolific and (ultra-hyperly-local) famous gardener over the last ten years, and when people comment on the green thumb, or as

Solid advice. I've become a fairly prolific and (ultra-hyperly-local) famous gardener over the last ten years, and when people comment on the green thumb, or ask about secrets to success, I just tell them "I've killed a lot of plants." What I love most about cultivating plants are the rewards gleaned from close and routine observation. I have some books, sure, and have even dabbled in tissue culture and micropropogation, but 99% of my success is just observe, adjust, observe, repeat... Every day after waking up, I go around to where everything is growing, indoors and out, for "roll call." It's truly amazing to watch flowers and vegetables develop from tiny specks of seed. The number and magnitude of developments that can take place even over 24 hrs are surprising. After years of cultivating many of the same plants from seed (most often in the author's recommended style of "toss and watch"!), I can readily identify the smallest seedlings by the unique shape of their initial leaves (cotyledons). Vegetative propogation is also richly rewarding: many, if not most, plants can be multiplied using very rudimentary methods. Once you understand this, you'll look at prices for sanseveria and pothos in stores with incredulity. I could go on, but I won't. Buy some seeds and throw them down; apply water. Observe. Enjoy.