15 gardening tips for beginners
Why need gardening tips for beginners? We have all dreamed of having a splendid garden that, in addition to beautifying our home, serves as a refuge when stress overwhelms us. The lack of experience should not discourage us! Gardening is an art that requires dedication and specific knowledge, but that can be learned slowly.
For this reason, and with the aim of helping the people that until now are immersed in this magical world, we have decided to compile the following gardening tips for beginners. We hope they are of great help.
The best gardening tips for beginners
1. First of all, you have to define the end of the garden
A garden can be used to plant flowers of a thousand colors, create appropriate spaces for recreation and cultivate vegetables. Therefore, from the beginning, it is necessary to define the function that it is going to fulfill and clearly delimit the areas destined for each purpose.
In this way, we will have a clear idea of what we want and it will be much easier for us to visualize how we will build it. If the budget allows us, it is no longer necessary to hire the services of a landscaper to help us with the design. Thus, we will obtain a perfect mix between colors, heights, and locations.
2. Assess the climate of the area
Before buying the plants we must know thoroughly the climatic conditions of the area in which we intend to develop our garden (warm, desert, tropical, humid, cold, etc.). That way, when visiting the nursery we can choose, with the advice of the professionals of the place, flowers, bushes, herbs and shrubs that will really adapt to the climate in which they will be sown.
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In this regard, we can not ignore the so-called microclimates, which refer to the specific climate of much smaller areas. For example, the microclimate of a place that receives sun all day is not the same as that under a leafy tree.
3. Take into account the intensity of light
All plants require light to live, although in different quantities and intensities. For example, even if the label of a certain mat says that it is for outdoors, it may not resist direct exposure to sunlight for a long time, or that only supports diffused sunlight, as is the case with orchids.
Therefore, before planting any plant, we must read the instructions carefully or ask for advice in the nursery where we buy them. Thus, we guarantee your location in the perfect place.
4. Evaluate the substrate or terrain
There are plants that require more sandy and drained soils to live, such as cacti; others, like heliconias, prefer more clayey and humid soils. That is to say: each type needs a specific substrate.
Consequently, before planting we must know the type of terrain in our garden and cover it with organic compost. In this way we fertilize naturally and promote biological activity in the soil, resulting in healthier plants. The same logic applies to the plants that we sow in pots.
5. Water the plants at the correct frequency
Most beginner gardeners believe that the more water they apply to their plants the faster and healthier they will grow. Serious error Not all plants need the same amount of water to live. It is an important gardening tips for beginners.
Usually, outdoor plants should be watered at least once a week, but the cycle can vary depending on the species, climatic conditions and evaporation levels present in the area where we have the garden. Therefore, it is prudent to ask for the best advice in this regard at your nearest Home Depot store with a gardening associate.
In any case, remember that irrigation is done on the ground and not directly on the leaves or flowers of the plants. That makes them prone to pests and rot.
6. Proper Fertilization
Another common mistake in beginners is to fertilize newly arrived nursery plants. There is no need for it. Usually, these are already well fertilized. The prudent thing is to wait until they stabilize and adapt to their new home, or wait for the first transplant of the pot.
For the rest, each plant needs different types of fertilizers.
7. Frequent pruning
If we want to see our healthy plants, we have to prune them with a certain frequency to eliminate the elements that impede the passage of sunlight to the whole garden or affect its normal development (damaged flowers, rotten fruits or dry, broken and diseased branches).
Let’s not forget that specific pruning varies from one species to another; therefore, we must inform ourselves about it.
8. Acquire the basic tools
Part of being a good gardener, is acquiring and selecting properly the tools and utensils to take care of our garden, some of the basic utensils that we must possess are:
- Shovel (various sizes for different types of garden and pots)
- Rake
- Clippers and brushcutters
- Gardening scissors
- Cut branches
- An irrigation hose and sprinklers
- Pots and containers
- Gloves
- Workwear
With these tools and utensils, we can perform the basic tasks of gardening, typical of those who until now are initiated in this art. Over time our knowledge will increase, along with our equipment needs.
9. Take into account the height of the plants
At the time of planting our plants, we must keep in mind the height of each one of them, so that when growing the highest ones do not deprive the smallest of the light causing them death. Or on the contrary, planting not considering the excess of the sun for some.
10. Seed storage
One of the best gardening tricks is to store seeds, stems and more in clean jars and in dry places. This way we avoid germinating by themselves. Keep reading how to germinate seeds.
11. Allow insects to live in the garden
Not all insects are harmful. Some, such as bees and butterflies, pollinate the flowers; others can be harmful if they occur too much.
Similarly, earthworms, although not properly insects, provide nutrients to the earth through their droppings, aerate the soil and control the pH of the soil.
In that sense, there are many more animals that are beneficial for our garden. We must watch to preserve them.
12. Beware of the roots
There are plants whose roots can spread through the soil, preventing the growth of those that are on their side and even affecting the walls. The most prudent thing is to plant them in containers or in remote places where they do not cause any damage.
13. Care when transplanting
Many beginners in gardening make a serious mistake when transplanting newly purchased plants. These, usually, come in a pot. The inexperienced gardener limits himself to removing them from there and introducing them immediately into the hole previously dug. This can cause the roots to roll together and not expand, leading to rot by the risks.
The ideal thing to transplant is to take the roots, very carefully, from the inside out until they take their natural place. This step is essential, especially in cases where the plant was too long in a pot.
14. Attention with pests
It is important to periodically inspect the leaves and stems of the plants for harmful parasites or fungi. In case of detecting them, we must cut the affected parts and burn them or discard them in closed containers so that they can be removed by the pertinent organism. If the problem persists we have no other solution than to immediately apply a specialized product, preferably natural or recommended by an expert in the field.
15. Keep an agenda of the plants
Once the garden has been planted it is important to consolidate in a single agenda a list of the plants that we have, aiming their period of flowering, fertilizer, pruning and other important information for their maintenance.
These 15 gardening tips for beginners will be of great help to get started in this beautiful art. Of course, the ideal is that we begin to study everything we can about gardening and botany, in order to add theoretical knowledge to practice and become experts in the field.
To complete the ideal garden it is recommended to check the complements to the fauna of the garden, that is to say, the special furniture for exteriors or the grills. Another example is the lighting that helps make our garden look equally impressive day and night.
