Gardening is a hobby that can be fun and fulfilling, but it also takes a lot of work. From weeding to pruning, watering to pest control, maintaining a garden can be time-consuming.
Luckily, there are some tips that make gardening easier for beginners. Here are 11 of them from Dominique Charles, the gardening expert behind Plots & Pans.
1. Know Your Zone
Whether you’re shopping at a nursery, buying plants online or looking at the label on a seed packet, knowing your zone is key to successful gardening.
Plants have adapted to their climates over millions of years to flourish in their specific locations. Using the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map as your guide will help you select plants that are compatible with your local climate.
2. Know Your Plants
If you’re a beginner gardener, it’s important to know your plants. Identifying them will help you choose the right ones for your climate.
Most store-bought plants have little tags with common and Latin names. Look them up and read them carefully.
3. Know Your Soil
Soil plays an important role in your garden. It supports plant roots and provides them with nutrients, water, and air.
Keeping your soil healthy requires a combination of good soil management practices and understanding the chemistry and composition of your soil. Knowing your soil type will help you choose plants adapted to the specific conditions of your area and maintain them in optimal health.
4. Know Your Watering Schedule
Watering your garden is an important part of maintaining healthy plants. Knowing your watering schedule will make it easier to ensure that your garden receives the right amount of water at the right time.
It is best to water early in the morning when plants are thirsty and can take up moisture before it gets too hot. Watering later can waste valuable water because more of it evaporates before soaking into the soil.
5. Know Your Weeds
Whether they’re a nuisance or a garden friend, all weeds provide their own benefits. For one, they’re a good source of pollen for bees and butterflies to keep them fed until you can plant your edible and flower gardens again in the spring.
Weeds also tell you a lot about your soil and how well it’s doing for growing your garden plants. By learning how to identify weeds you can make your garden soil healthier and better for growing your vegetables, flowers and shrubs.
6. Know Your Tools
Having the right tools for your garden can mean the difference between a successful and frustrating project. Taking the time to learn about the tools you have and how to use them can make all the difference.
It’s also important to know how to care for your tools and how to store them safely so you can repurpose them year after year. A few simple steps can keep your tools in tip top shape and give you plenty of use for years to come!
7. Know Your Insects
Insects play a key role in nature. They eat harmful pests, pollinate flowers, and serve as food for other animals and plants.
Gardeners can help control pests by attracting beneficial insects to their gardens, as well as keeping harmful bugs under control with insecticides. Look for insects that have similar physical characteristics as the insect pests you’re trying to remove from your plants.
8. Know Your Plants
Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, knowing your plants will help you keep them alive and healthy. Plants have a very specific set of needs and requirements that you need to know about if you want them to thrive.
Luckily there are loads of places online where you can get a quick visual identification and then go off and do some more detective work to get the correct scientific name.
9. Know Your Weeds’ Habits
Weeds have the potential to destroy your entire garden if not controlled properly. They’re easy to grow and spread, can wreak havoc on your crops and have long, deep roots that make use of moisture reserves in the soil.
A good weed identification manual, such as this one, can help you identify your problem plants and develop management plans to reduce their impact. It usually includes a dichotomous key, which identifies species in vegetative stages of development (non-flowering).
10. Know Your Plants’ Needs
Plants have a lot of needs that need to be met for them to grow and thrive. These include light, air, water, nutrients and space.
The right amount of these factors will help your plants flourish and produce beautiful flowers and fruits. Soil is another key factor in a healthy plant’s development.