And that garden center owner should be planning those workshops ANYWAY. Gardening basics are not something that come automatically to us twentysomethings and Gen-Y kids — and we weren't taught by our parents like our parents were taught by theirs.
We stand on the shoulders of the generation before us, who taught us what we know today. So.

My daughter learned to cook from Paula Deen and Ina Garten, not me. And not because I didn't try to teach her. She likes, I think, a more neutral vehicle for learning. And that's cool with me. I get it.-- Susan.

So, your nephew likes to cook but not garden. My mom likes to cook but not garden, so that must mean that Baby Boomers in general must not be interested in gardening...?

Your 20-something family member and the 20-somethings who are buying seeds and soil have questions about how to do this stuff... how does this lead to an interpretation that Gen Y won't be interested in gardening? I don't think the question about when to water something is stupid-- how many of us have over- or under-watered something? This is not intuitive; someone taught every gardener how to take care of a garden.

Furthermore, IMO, mowing is completely different from gardening. I too, have no interest in mowing or maintaining 1/3 acre of grass, so in my recent house-search, I wanted to have a minimal grass-yard, but space and good light for a garden.

SH, didn't you see my comment about "mentoring," and how open Gen-Ys are into it and how that may be the perfect vehicle for the transmissiong of gardening information between generations? I got started with the help of a boss at work, a man 30 years older than me. Not my mom, who didn't like to cook or garden. And not my dad, who did a beautiful job raising African violets but nothing else.--Susan

I'm responsing to this post. I agree that mentoring is a great way to get someone started. I'm not sure I get some of what you wrote in relation to that. I'm talking about using your nephew as Gen Y representative (when in early 30s, he may actually be part of Gen X, not sure).

How "early" 30s are we talking about here? I'm 31 will be 32 this November and I don't consider anyone in my age range to be Gen-Y.

I know that the Gen-Y years are kinda muddled but anyone born in the late 70s falls into Gen-X IMO, and we can't be used as examples of Gen-Y

SH, you are correct, early 30's is Gen X.

I am a young urban farmer and my husband is equally interested in gardening.

I thought the reason to grow veggies was to be able to have access to healthy food for yourself and family. Why do it otherwise?

These generalizations are getting old. People making these comments should mentor instead of telling us how incapable we are.

Susan, it's funny that you had to tell a family member WHEN to water, because I'm currently struggling with my family members and retired neighbors all OVER-watering. And while on the subject, they're all over-fertilizing as well! I don't like mowing a lawn either, and am removing most of my lawn to replace with drought-tolerant plants and a vegetable garden. We're gardening, we're just doing it different than the generations before us.

Carrie. You are quite right...Lots of experts at the conference said the same thing...we are all watering everything too much! --Susan

I am the nephew, Bill...

While I understand the Gen-X vs. Gen-Y debate, I have friends that are from both segments (solidly Gen-X and young enough to truly be Gen-Y) and I think that I (soon to be 31) fit more with the Gen-Y definition... these labels are flexible.

First let me say I am NOT speaking for a whole generation… just my thoughts on my life and those of my friends.

That being said I think the question clearly is why people my age are not that into the whole gardening “thing.”

Part of it is the time involved. Gardening is a labor of love that I feel would take the better part of my Saturday or Sunday to do right.

I have a busy schedule. I can’t have a pet because it would not be fair to the animal since I am never around. My wife and I are just too busy. I can’t even keep a house plant. That hanging basket my mother bought for our front porch lasted two weeks... Why would I invest in a whole garden just to watch it turn brown?

Gen-Y is being pulled into so many different directions by our lives that to slow down and do the gardening thing just does not make any sense. I have enough hobbies and plans that I am already half-assing… why would I add another one?

I am sure once my life settles down (if ever) I will take the time to grow grass instead of dandelions and tomatoes instead of an overgrown hedge. It might be nice to have my own fresh veggies to help in the kitchen...

Be sure to check out my blog, Daddy's Sugar Ball, at www.daddyssugarball.com

Bill

I have my own thoughts on this topic, most of which are covered here: http://goorganicgardening.com/news/the-gen-y-gardener

It seems that Kelly hit a nerve during his talk--in the Gen Yers in the audience and the Baby Boomers in the audience.

Most of all, what I've been taking from this conversation, is that NOBODY of any age likes to be stereotyped. Let's try to break through the stereotypes and get to the heart of what we all care about: encouraging more people to garden.

In order to do that, we might have to change the way we discuss, market, write, and teach. COOL! Nothing is more boring that doing the same thing over and over and over again, generation to generation.

The speaker had a point when he said we should stop trying to sell plants and pots and sell the pleasure of gardening.

But these sessions in the conference were really a search for the right way to engage the next generation in gardening. Nobody seemed to have the perfect answer. -- Susan

Gen Y or otherwide, if you have a late season herb and vegetable garden, you may well find that you will grow more than you can use, preserve or give to friends.

You may want to visit www.AmpleHarvest.org - a site that helps diminish hunger by enabling backyard gardeners to share their crops with neighborhood food pantries.

The site is free both for the food pantries and the gardeners using it.

More than 970 food pantries nationwide are already on it and more are signing up daily.

It includes preferred delivery times, driving instructions to the pantry as well as (in many cases) information about store bought items also needed by the pantry (for after the growing season).

AmpleHarvest.org enables people to help their community by reaching into their back yard instead of their back pocket.

Lastly, if your reader's community has a food pantry, they should make sure the pantry registers on www.AmpleHarvest.org. Its free.

Seven or eight (I lose track) years ago, when my son moved into his wife's house, his first project was to put a ground-level deck over the entire tiny townhouse backyard. My daughter-in-law explained that they "weren't into yards and dirt." It was all I could do, not to shake Son and yell, "What the hell's wrong with you?"

This past Spring, I saw an empty bulb package on their dining room table. Skillfully subtle questioning (Hey, what's up with this?) of the GrandBoy revealed that he and Mom had planted them! This weekend, I once more carried on about just how lovely those Red Cannas by the door are.

Perhaps gardening is something we grow into, once the thrill of staying up as late as we want has worn off.

You know what really bugs me about snide comments like the nursery owners? How is Gen Y any different than our parents? People aren't born knowing how to plant things and care for them. First time homeowners 20 years ago were learning the same things we are now. And there are plenty of Baby Boomers that have the blackest thumbs on the planet. My parents would be sitting right along side Gen Y'ers at that class on how to plant a six pack. And they'd need your advice on when to water too.

I'm so over Baby Boomers who think that their generation was born knowing how to garden and that they were always interested in gardening. Get over yourselves already. My Aunt (who is 50) just recently told me that she lovingly tended a little patch next to her patio in their first home until an older neighbor asked her why she was allowing the weeds to go crazy in that spot.

How quickly people forget what it was like to be a 20 something who is doing all sorts of things for the first time.

I am a Gen Yer. I dont mind being stereotyped. I think the stereotype fits quite well. I do not know ANYONE in my generation who gardens so in my experience.....that stereotype fits quite well. Here is what I do know.......
Up until 3 weeks ago, my dad had to monitor my every move (and even do those moves for me) when tending to his garden (I now rent off him). He even put up my rent to get a gardener in instead of me doing it myself. I even wanted him to! My mother never gardened at all. She never taught me how to cook. My dad gardend, but I was more interested in computers or hanging with friends. This was all until 3 weeks ago. My partners mother gave us a tomato plant. That is all it took. We decided to get another and on our travels we got another....then another....then an entire new world opened up to both of us. Now 3 weeks later (3 weeks no joke!) we have numerous tomato plants, lettuce, chillies, capsicum, beans (our first bean has just sprouted...SO excited!), herbs galore. We have seeds on the go. I am saving seeds from store bought pumpkins, chillies, capsicums. We have carrots, onions etc ready to plant. We have little baby seedlings on the go. Mushrooms in a grow kit. I am making my own home made organic sprays to combat little nasties as I go. My partner has bought PVC piping, pots and everything else he needs to build us a hydroponics system for our tomatoes.

Remember people, this is in 3 weeks. It all started from a simple gesture of a family member giving us a tomato plant.

IMO.......What we all need to do, instead of trying to pressure/lecture/force/whatever us (us as in GenY, GenX, even Babyboomers....anyone not generally in to the gardening thing) what we all need to do is to inspire people. Just as someone inspired us, we can inspire others. Tap in to GenY (will use that as eg) by using their technological brains instead of getting them out there. Ask them with help in setting up blogs for you. If they have a camera ask them to help show you how to do a time laps of your plants - trust me you will love the result and seeings plants grow like this may just be the inspiration someone needs to garden. Just remember....as you know how to do gardening, Gen Yers will know just as many other skills that could help you in return. We all need to learn from each other. Perhaps you could ask your gen y nephew etc to help you build a hydro system if he is a handy man and likes big projects...help you research it on YTube etc. Know someone who likes mushrooms? Get them a mushroom kit for christmas or a birthday present. Perhaps your child or grandchild could show you their iphone and all the cool gardening apps you could have! Or they could show you how to download all the gardening shows you could ever want. We did grow up with technology after all.

If we all learn from each other, imagine how knowledgable we all would be? Its not just what you could teach us, but what we could teach you. Who knows....your child or grandchild might even show you a thing or two about videogames :D