More people would likely garden, if they didn’t think it was so much hard work or weren’t so intimidated by what they may feel is a complicated process. If you like the idea of gardening and are willing to give it a shot, here is a bit of advice and my top gardening tips for beginners, to start you on your journey.
Read. Read articles and books on gardening. Learn all you can about a few types of flowers or vegetables to help ensure your successes. Knowledge is a powerful tool. People have been gardening for thousands of years, so there is plenty of information out there.
Start Small. Pick a small portion of your yard to beautify with flowers or “bountify” with vegetables and put all your efforts into getting it established. Once you are comfortable with your small plot and things are going well, then and only then add more garden space. Once you have experimented with the small plot, you will have learned much about the garden and yourself. You will have learned about plants from your failures as well as your successes. You will have learned about yourself in that you will know if you believe the beauty or bounty is worth your time and energy. And…you will not have spent and potentially lost a fortune.
Know Your Zone. Those students of climates and gardening, who have come before us, have given us the Planting Zone Chart. This chart, which can be found on just about any plant sales website, divides countries into planting zones. Once you find your zone, you should choose plants that are recommended for your zone. You will see information after a plant description such as “Hardy in Zones 8-10.” If your zone is not within that hardy zone, it is a good bet it will not survive if you plant it.
Know your soil pH. Soil test kits can be found at garden supply and home supply stores. Your local extension office (part of most county governments) may also offer soil tests free or for a small fee. Plants have different preferences for pH. Some like it acid and some don’t. If you know the soil’s pH and your plant’s requirements, you can augment or enhance the soil with various materials such as lime to change the pH to what your plant likes best. The garden supply or home supply store can point you to the right additives.
Know The Light Requirements. All plants grow and thrive through a process called photosynthesis. They pull moisture and nutrients from the soil and take in sun through their leaves. The amount of light each plant requires for this process can be very different. Check the description or label on the plant. You may see symbols rather than words. A full clear sun means full sun. A full sun with have of it darkened means partial shade. A full sun completely darkened means full shade.
Ornamental Plants. Choose perennials! The labels on plants confuse some people. If you see the word annual, the plant will only grow and bloom for one growing season. If the plant says perennial, it will return every year and in some cases, such as with lilies, irises and daffodils, actually multiply each year. I strongly recommend starting out with perennials 1) because you only spend the money once for repeat performances, 2) because in many cases they multiply and this allows you to split them up and plant them elsewhere in your yard and 3) because they are some of the hardiest plants.
Vegetable Plants. The easiest vegetables for the beginning gardener are cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and squash. Cucumbers and squash can be sown right into the garden. Make a mound of dirt and push in 5 to 6 seeds per mound. Ensure they have proper watering and fertilizer and off they will go. For the beginner, tomatoes and peppers should be started from plants. You always pay more for plants than for seeds, but seeds that require advanced indoor starting, such as tomatoes and peppers, can be tricky.
Read The Instructions! Plants or seeds you purchase will have instructions either at the site where you order them or in or on the packaging. Do yourself a favor and read it thoroughly. No, read it twice. If you plant it wrong, your results will be at risk. If it says to plant a seed ΒΌ inch deep in the soil, know that if you plant it 1 inch deep it will come up late, if at all. If it says to plant in full sun and you plant in full shade…well, it might poke its head out of the ground, but it probably won’t flourish.
Be Careful With Fertilizers and Pesticides. Fertilizers, if applied incorrectly or at the wrong time or in the wrong quantity can actually kill plants. Determine the requirements for your plant and feed that amount at the appropriate times. I personally prefer organic fertilizers such as manure and seaweed. Chemical fertilizer runoff ends up in our water systems and is not healthy for wildlife…or us. Unfortunately, chemical fertilizers do not leave any lasting positive impact on the soil, as do organic fertilizers. I strongly recommend an organic approach to gardening, because of what it contributes to the planet and our personal wellbeing. I can actually grow a few organic items in my garden that-with the help of a blender–will make a deterrent for insets. I can visit a local rabbit keeper and acquire plenty of excellent palletized manure fertilizer. For those less “rustic,” sterilized manure can be purchased by the bag. Seek out the organic growing and pest control ideas. More and more people are finding there are benefits to going organic…lower pollution, renewable resourcing, less damage to the local ecology, health benefits of organic foods. If you choose not to go this route for convenience or whatever reason, always remember that when dealing with chemicals there are risks and you should read the labels to ensure your safety.
Save those newspapers. Where I live, my property is bombarded every Wednesday with local free newspapers. I have to admit that, while I don’t always read them, I save them. I use newspaper to mulch between rows in the garden. Now that’s recycling! Some say the ink isn’t good for the plants, but mine don’t seem to care. I remove all the color sheets and slick pages and use only the newsprint. Several layers of newspaper cut the weeds, help hold the moisture and eventually break down because they are an organic material.
Avoid Common Mistakes. One of the most common mistakes made by beginning gardeners revolves around watering. Over or under watering of plants can cause their “illness,” if not their death. Most plants do not like to have their “feet wet” all the time. That is, the roots should not be sitting in water. This can cause the roots to rot. On the other end of the spectrum, most plants do not like to “live in the desert.” Roots can shrivel and break if they are dry for too long. You should always give the amount of water specific to the plant. However, a simple test for moisture can be performed by sticking your finger into the dirt near the roots of the plant. If the soil is bone dry, it needs water. If it is muddy, it is too wet. If it is just moist, your plant is probably happy. Over fertilizing is another common mistake. The usual schedule of fertilizing for most ornamental plants is spring and fall. Vegetables may require more frequent fertilization, if you are using chemical fertilizers.
Heck, you don’t even need a garden space in your yard to garden. You can grow flowers and vegetables in containers on your deck or balcony, provided you have the right amount of sunlight. Growers now offer a variety of dwarf or miniature fruits that can be container grown. So, don’t feel limited. Start with a pot full of marigolds, a daylily, or a tomato plant. Use your imagination and what you learn to go green-even in a small way. You may find there are unusual mental rewards associated with planting something and watching it grow. Happy gardening.
