Tips for Beginner Gardeners

If you are a budding (pun intended) gardener looking for tips and information on how to start out your gardening journey or adventure, here is some helpful information on how to be successful:

• The right apparel; if you are serious about gardening, you are going to need to spend a lot of time outside, working at making the perfect garden. As with any activity, you will need the right apparel. This includes proper sunwear (hat, sunglasses and sunscreen, etc.), comfortable t-shirts, pants and of course, shoes. Don’t forget to purchase gloves as well, to protect your hands from dirt, chemicals and prickles. Remember to get the right tools as well.
• Start small; focus on planting small bushes or flowers in a part of your front yard or start with a smaller surface area. This gives you enough room to practice, and get the idea of gardening down, without getting overwhelmed. This gives you a controlled amount of space to play with different plants, watering techniques and sunlight combinations. Don’t go too big too soon, to avoid disappointment and failure.
• Research, research and more research; before you plant anything or even turn any soil, ensure to do adequate research. This means understanding the plants you want to plant, including their needs in terms of water, soil and sunlight. This also includes analysis on the best placement of these plants, how long they last, and even the potential impacts on any kids or pets if ingested or touched. There are a lot of great resources on the internet, as well as books and things such as podcasts and radio and TV shows dedicated entirely to this topic. There is also always the option of contacting the gardeners in your life or even the experts at the store.
• Timing; included in your research will be learning about the best time to plant and harvest (if planting edible plants or species) different plants and vegetables. Be sure to understand this timing, and make sure to avoid planting things too early (when it is too cold) or too late, for the best results.
• Try something new; though gardening and keeping your plants alive and healthy may seem like a somewhat overwhelming and daunting task, it is a lot of fun when you work at it and know what you are doing. Try planting something new or different, rather than the conventional, to challenge yourself.
• Create a schedule; to avoid forgetting to water, turn the soil, cut weeds or do any other chore associated with maintaining a garden, create a visible plan, and that you will be able to hold yourself accountable to. This might mean adding tasks into your existing calendar, daybook or to-do lists or creating reminders in your phone.

2019-05-09