How Does North Dakota Rank In Gardening Skills Nationwide?

If you ask most North Dakotans whether we're good at gardening, you'll probably get a confident answer. After all, we live in a state where agriculture isn't just an industry—it's a way of life. We grow wheat, corn, soybeans, sunflowers, and just about anything else willing to survive our unpredictable weather.

So naturally, I assumed we'd rank near the top when it comes to gardening skills.

Well... about that.

Get our free mobile app

ND Gardening

A recent survey conducted by Coventry Direct asked more than 2,400 people across the United States about their gardening habits, plant care skills, and ability to keep plants alive. The results produced a nationwide "Green Thumb Score" ranking, and North Dakota landed in 37th place.

Ouch.

To make matters a little worse, Montana came in at an impressive 7th place, while South Dakota grabbed 18th. Even Minnesota wasn't too far behind us at 39th.

And the state with the best gardeners in America?

Kentucky.

Who knew?

ND Gardening

The rankings were based on 10 different questions covering everything from confidence in caring for plants to how often participants water, prune, fertilize, and troubleshoot struggling greenery. Respondents were also asked how many different kinds of plants they care for and what their longest plant survival streak has been.

Apparently, keeping a tomato plant alive through July is harder than it looks.

The survey found that successful gardeners tend to be confident, proactive, and well-equipped with the right tools. They also don't give up when a plant starts looking sad. Instead, they research the problem and try to save it.

Maybe that's where North Dakotans lose a few points. When a plant starts struggling, some of us might just shrug and say, "Well, it had a good run."

Of course, a ranking doesn't tell the whole story. North Dakotans still know a thing or two about growing things. We simply may be better at raising thousands of acres of crops than keeping that decorative houseplant alive on the windowsill.

Either way, 37th place gives us something new to grow toward next year.