7 beginners tips to get your gardening going today.
By: Maryam Irfan
Tags: Hobby, How To, Beginners Guide, Easy, Gardening

I consider gardening itself a form of art. It’s an activity that can be soothing and refreshing and can keep you on your toes throughout the day so that you follow a proper schedule. Moreover eating healthy on a budget is something none of us would like to miss. And if you love flora then it can’t get any better! Here are some tips that I think every gardener should know before starting anything in the field:

1- Select the right plants:

Opting for the best plants for your garden can be daunting. Especially if you’re as indecisive as me.

The best place to start would be knowing the hardiness zone of your area. The plants that can grow in a certain climate and those that can adapt to your land condition. For example, you don’t want to plant a crocus (that grows well in mild temperature) in the middle of the sweltering heat of the summer! That’ll surely end up in a disaster.

Of course what you want to plant and what you personally like should also be considered. So knowing your plants is an important step in gardening.

2- The site to start:

The place for your veggies and herbs mostly depends upon the veggies themselves.

Some plants thrive well under direct sunlight whereas some require shade to grow well. Most plants in general need at least 6 hours of sun to flourish.

Make sure the water doesn’t pool in the area that you’ve selected for your garden and the soil is moist. If water drainage is poor, use raised-beds. These will also help you to compartmentalize your work and add the nutrients required by a specific plant to only that section. And keeping things tidy is never bad, so!

You also want to grow your garden at a place where it’s visible all the time or that you frequent daily. Because believe me, out of sight out of mind definitely applies to gardening as well.

3- Test your soil:

Making sure that the soil in your garden is ready to cater to the needs of your plants is also a priority. You don’t want to spend months on your garden just to know the seeds didn’t even germinate.

For that make sure the pH of your soil is between 6.5 to 7 (That’s for most plants but it may vary for some like eggplants, melons, and potatoes, etc.) Also, the main nutrients for plants aka Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium should be present in adequate amounts. Other minor minerals may also be needed depending upon your plant.

For this, you can send a sample of your soil for test to the library or use an at-home kit. Again, knowing your plant is a must for this.

4- Always start small:

We don’t want gardening to be another hectic chore in our already messy lives. Opting for a smaller garden can ensure that you actually enjoy what you’re doing and can keep up with the task.

Plants are alive beings that need to be taken care of and I’m afraid cheat days won’t do. Moreover, it’ll help you evaluate if your expenses are up to par with what you can afford and if what you’ve planted in catering to your needs or is excess. We don’t need rotting veggies as a result of an overfilled storage and some more!

For additional help in planning out space-consuming tactics and much other stuff, I recommend this awesome website.

5- Wonders of compost and mulch:

You’ll be surprised to know how much stuff that we consider waste works like energy drinks for plants. Anything from egg-shells, used teabags to plant prunings and grass-cuttings can be used as compost.

When done right, compost can also kill harmful bacteria and weeds by accumulating heat.

Dead leaves, wood chips, and even shredded tires can be used as mulch. Mulch will reduce water evaporation and you won’t need to water your plants as much.

Also, as yucky as it might sound, manure works wonders too. You can get yourself some rubber gloves or some water-resistant breathable gloves for that or gardening in general.

6- Practice crop rotation:

Re-planting the same type of plants over years can deplete the soil of certain minerals that are essential for plant growth.

To make sure that the soil doesn’t lose much-needed nutrients, do not plant the same type of veggies or herb over and over but shuffle your list a bit. For example, after planting corn which uses a lot of nitrogen you can plant beans which in turn replenish nitrogen to the soil.

7- Keep track of the friend and the foes:

Growing a garden is one thing but maintaining it is a whole new chapter.

Pulling out weeds that compete for much-needed nutrients with your plants is a necessity if you want your plants to flourish. It also helps conserve much-needed planting space.

Also, you might want to consider planting some allies, the method commonly referred to as companion planting. Companion planting helps ward off pests, allows maximum land usage, and aids in natural growth by supplying and maintaining nutrients. For example, corn makes good climbing material for beans and peas. Tomatoes also produce greater yields when grown together with basil.

Mix it up with some research and fingers crossed, you’re garden will burgeon just fine!