Text

[darkforcerising]

Part of my new year's resolutions is to work on being more responsible so I think I might get a plant.

What is the best plant for someone who knows nothing about them other than they probably need sunlight and water?

Can you grow a dandelion in a pot? Those are resilient, right?

Comments

[smilingarmor]

Spider plants are generally easy to care for. Or, if you like cooking, most types of herbs are fairly forgiving as well.

[darkforcerising]

What herbs go with Kraft mac & cheese?

[smilingarmor]

Basil, thyme, and chives would all likely taste good with macaroni and cheese. Sage as well, though you'll need a bit more space and a somewhat larger pot for that; it can grow several feet high, whereas the others are a bit smaller and would likely be fine in a standard flower pot on the windowsill.

[darkforcerising]

Does it defeat the purpose of being responsible if I eat the plant?

[smilingarmor]

If you're using the whole plant rather than just plucking a leaf or two as needed, I'm afraid you need cooking lessons more than gardening lessons. Though eating them isn't necessary, if you don't want to; most of them work equally well as decorative plants.

[darkforcerising]

Which one do you recommend I try first?

[smilingarmor]

If you're not planning on eating it, rosemary. It smells lovely and won't suffer if you forget to water it now and then. Just keep it where it can get plenty of sun and trim it back a little when it spreads out more than you want it to and you shouldn't have any problems with it.

[darkforcerising]

How often am I supposed to water it? What is the metric for 'spreads out more than you want'?

[smilingarmor]

'More than you want' is exactly what it sounds like. If it spreads out far enough that it begins getting in the way, doesn't fit in the space you're keeping it in very well, or the like. Or even if there's just a stray bit that you want to trim off so it looks a bit nicer, really. It's largely up to you.

There will likely be instructions on the packet of seeds, but roughly every other day would be a good rule of thumb. If you happen to notice the soil is dry between waterings you can give it a little more. Rosemary is drought resistant, so it won't suffer much if you forget once in a while though.