I’m sure I’m not alone in saying this: I want to excel. I want to hit the ground running at full speed. I want to be successful the first time I try. I want hard things to come easily. I want to approximate perfection in all that I set out to do.
I’ve watched a number of the Starlink launches and it struck me as a little funny that mission control spends so much time talking about trajectory being “nominal.” While I think few of us would be delighted by this praise from our loved ones or in our careers, there’s not much more one ought to expect from a rocket, right? For the rocket, that’s pretty much the best place to be: nominal.
When we start something new, different, challenging, or uncomfortable, landing on perfection the first time (maybe outside of “beginner’s luck”), might mean that we didn’t set our scope large enough for our skill set. I certainly don’t mean to belittle anyone who has never failed, but with failure comes growth. Success teaches far less than adversity.
With gardening in particular, there are so many variables–known and unknown–that are beyond our control that trying to have the perfect garden from the start is bewildering and if anything less than this is failure, makes failure inevitable. And if that’s the only acceptable outcome, many won’t dare dip their toe into what is a daunting, but immensely rewarding experience.
So, instead of some all-or-nothing mentality, I would encourage each of us to settle for good enough. Cactuses and air plants are nearly impossible to neglect to death. Hot peppers are way more forgiving than I deserve. Established perennials are pretty merciful. Already-started vegetables are more forgiving and less labor intensive than starting from seeds. Not infrequently, neighbors are thinning their hosta/elderberry/chives/etc. Basil is nary unkillable. People drop zucchini on your doorstep under cover of dark because it’s harder to use than it is to grow. Succeeding with baby steps is going to build confidence and still teach lessons. You’ll also start to learn which mentors have a similar mindset.
To be honest, you’re not getting any younger or any better at gardening by staying out of the dirt. Get out into nature and sunshine. Even if you kill 9 out of 10 plants, imagine how proud you’ll be about your first home-grown tomato! You control the narrative and you are going to be an excellent, nominal gardener.