What do your friends say about you liking gardening?

[fuumarumota]

I have some friends that often make jokes about me liking gardening and plants. It seems not manly enough for them. Poor souls, they don't know what they're missing XD.

How about you guys? Any similar situations in your case?

Cheers!

 

[Beverly]

Hi fuum, excuse me, i am not a guy, but when i tell people i have a garden here in Mexico and do the work myself and enjoy it, people wrinkle up their noses at me or give the the snake eye or a questioning look, mainly because "gardening" has not been a part of the culture here in Mexico. Now gardening is starting to become a part of the culture here so people will start to be more accepting. Right now many people don't understand. In many other cultures, gardening has been part of the culture for a very long time and is enjoyed by men and women equally and it is not considered "unmanly". I know a Mexicano in Guanajuato who has been gardening native medicinal plants for some years now. He sells seeds on Mercado Libre and does well. Nobody teases him. I know another man here in Colima who has a rancho and who loves all plants, flowers, vines. He sells flowers grown on the rancho at the family Florist Shop and no one considers him unmanly. Your friends are just giving you a bad time (in fun i hope) because they do not share your interest and it is new to them (you are ahead of your time). So i know 3 gardeners here who are Mexicanos and 0 gardeners who are Mexicanas, except a few women who own/work at viveros.

 

[Corzhens]

My friends, particularly my colleagues in the office, are envious of our garden. They thought we had a big backyard because of the produce that I bring to the office like mangoes, star fruit, dragon fruit and even cassava cake made from the cassava harvest. And they love most are the sugar apple that is imported from Thailand. They didn't know that I am not the real gardener and my fancy is up to the harvesting only.

 

[granjera]

I think people are only a little envious of me. Most probably think it's too much time and trouble to garden. I keep a small patch (which I'm reducing 40% this year 'cause it produces more than we need) and they'd be surprised at how little time I spend on my patch once I've selected the seeds, grown seedlings, tilled and amended the soil, and planted. All that's left is watering and looking for new growth. But they act as though my back yard is entirely dedicated to "farming", which, if it was, would probably still be dwarfed by the gardens of most people on this forum because it's so small.

They're always offering to take vegetables off my hand, though. They're generous that way.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

I'm sure many are familiar with the outdated stereotype that surrounds gardening, "women planting pretty flowers", but I have no problem being a younger guy who gardens. I've never really had anyone around me make jokes, but if someone did, I would be quick to explain that my garden is a habitat restoration filled with native plants intended to help save the native insect and animal species that we're lucky enough to share this world with, and I consider it to be every human's duty since we're the only specie to blame for habitat loss.

I doubt they'd have any jokes to make after that.

 

[Pat]

My family does not understand why I like to play in the dirt and why I have so many plants. I like to have as many plants in my home as I can. When I lived in California I had a house that one room was used for all of my plants. It liked a jungle in that room and I loved it.

 

[Trellum]

I don't talk so much about gardening with my friends, only wit older people because most of the time those persons are the only ones who might be interested in gardening.

 

[amelia88]

I think most of my friends circle are inspired by it. I think perhaps for people of my age it's not all that common to be into gardening - people think it's something that retired people do, I guess.

I think though it's slowly getting more popular among 20 something and 30 somethings - and I think that's great. If I can inspire my peers to get more into growing their own stuff and taking an interest in nature I think that's wonderful.

 

[Beverly]

@JBtheExplorer...i "liked" your post and love your garden. I couldn't agree more "think habitat", always. Even people who have vegetable gardens can find a little space for some native plants to give some critters habitat.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

@JBtheExplorer...i "liked" your post and love your garden. I couldn't agree more "think habitat", always. Even people who have vegetable gardens can find a little space for some native plants to give some critters habitat.

It can be rewarding to vegetable gardeners, because native plants will typically attract beneficial insects. Not only pollinators, but also insects that will help control pests.

 

[fuumarumota]

Thank you all for your kind posts. As some of you said, this will slowly become part of the worldwide culture , since countries will need to look towards sustainability. Some people seem to not understand the importance .

 

[claudine]

My boyfriend thinks that we have too many plants in our apartment, but he doesn't get angry when I bring new ones
As for my friends, most of them like gardening as much as I do.

 

[sixxup]

Some of my friends like gardening and others don't. I have been getting ideas about gardening from those who like it. Those who don't like gardening claim that they don't want to make themselves dirty when weeding or planting. Those are the ones who usually come to my home to ask for chillies. I have explained to them the benefits of gardening but they have never understood.

 

[remnant]

My friends really appreciate my gardening initiatives. I am a butternut farmer. During the initial stages of planting and seedling emergence, some saw impossibilities and a herculean task ahead. When harvesting is around the corner, a buzz is created about the produce since butternut farming is rare in my region. This buzz aids me in marketing the produce. I love to grow new crops which stimulates interest amongst my friends.

 

[fuumarumota]

My family does not understand why I like to play in the dirt and why I have so many plants. I like to have as many plants in my home as I can. When I lived in California I had a house that one room was used for all of my plants. It liked a jungle in that room and I loved it.

Haha, yeah, same here. They are like "Hey, you are an engineer, you should be playing with electronics and gadgets instead, and you could even make some cash that way"... Lol, bulls**t.