Gardening is a great way to spend time outdoors, but it has many other benefits. It can help you lower high blood pressure and the risk of stroke and heart attack. Also, this hobby is an excellent physical activity as you move around, bend, get up and down frequently. Plus, being outside can reduce stress and improve mood.
As you can see, you can enjoy many benefits of hanging around with plants. A reputable Delaware plant supplier suggests some handy tips for beginners that don’t require a fortune or significant effort. Just some free time and a will for gardening adventures.
Know Your Garden
One of the essentials for gardening beginners is to start small. Larger gardens require more time and energy. You can easily overestimate your capacities and resources and end up with a messy yard. So you have to know the conditions and possibilities and then adapt to them.
There is nothing wrong with sticking to your desires and ideas, but you have to be rational and think well. That way, you won’t spend time, energy, and money arranging outdoor space that will not be as you imagined.
Many new gardeners tend to overdo their capacities and end up with a cluttered mess. To avoid this common beginner’s mistake, start with small areas and add more space each year. Then, as your garden gets better and lusher, you can plan to add more crops each year as they grow.
Have a Plan
A good tip for a beginner gardener is to plan carefully and sketch that on paper before planting. You should know how big your garden will be, what crops you’ll grow, and care basics. Then, create a plan that will help you visualize the whole landscape, plant types, and their layout.
In order to be able to come up with a good plan, the basic thing is to know the land. Its quality has a huge impact on your crops, so you need to know the soil’s characteristics. That will help you choose the best plants for your garden. Also, you have to ensure the soil is healthy and balanced. You can buy a specialized testing kit to check its acidity, pH value, and moisture saturation.
Also, plan the tools you need for gardening. You will need a hoe, shovel, sprayer, and garden rake. In addition to the basic tools, you will need strings, stakes, hoses and sprinkles, and supplies like seeds and mulch.
Choose Greenery Types
After determining the soil quality, it’s best to choose a few species to start with. But don’t for demanding ones right at the beginning. As you are new to gardening, there is a high probability that you won’t get the desired results. That can lead to a drop in your enthusiasm.
Instead, go with easy-to-grow greenery. You can mix several annuals and perennials suitable for beginners. For example, opt for geraniums and dahlias, and combine them with coneflower and daylily. Annuals are not as long-lived as perennials, but they look great. Perennials will come back and flourish year after year. That will give your garden the right balance of both types of plants.
Vegetables may seem daunting, but some species will ‘forgive’ you beginner’s ignorance. These are all kinds of roots and tubers, and you can get them from both seeds and transplants. Also, you can start with leafy veggies like kale and lettuce. Plant them in sunny and airy areas and watch them grow in a matter of days. That will boost your gardening enthusiasm.
Give Plants Enough Space
When planning the layout of your garden, keep in mind that you need more space than you think. If the plants are too close to each other, they won’t grow, and they will be vulnerable to disease. The more space they have, the better. But it also means more work.
A proper arrangement and spacing between plants are necessary for healthy growth. You’ll have to adjust the plants as they grow. The height is usually not a significant problem but the surface that the adult crop will take. It’s always good to know how much certain species grow before planting so you can plan the layout.
Regular Care
Aside from knowing what to plant, take time to learn basic care tips. As plants are living beings, they need food and water. Take into account the amount and period of watering and feeding. Different species have different needs, so it’s a good idea to study this before you start gardening.
Organic fertilizers are far the best choice for healthy and good-looking crops. You can use compost or animal manure. Avoid over-fertilizing plants as that doesn’t bring better results. Instead, check this link and see the amount of organic fertilizer your plants need.
Some plants are more challenging to take care of than others. For example, if neglected, a small seedling can turn into a 20-foot-long vine. So don’t be afraid of pruning. It won’t harm your vines and shrubs but help them grow healthy and lush.
You don’t have to be an expert in pest identification, as you can easily spot an infected or damaged plant. But when it comes to pests and diseases, you need to be prepared to deal with them. It’s always better to know your enemy before you start the fight. Whenever you can, avoid chemical pesticides and rely on organic products.
Take Notes
Another good gardening tip for beginners is to keep a garden scrapbook. It’s a great idea to document your garden as it grows. This book should contain sketches, pictures, labels, and notes about your plants. This way, you’ll be able to track their growth and understand what each plant is about. It will also help you learn along the way to improve your garden over time.
Gardening is a great way to spend quality time, do something useful, and improve your health. Not everyone has a green thumb, but you can start with this activity if you enjoy flowers, decorative shrubs, or home-grown vegetables. Plants and greenery can make your yard look great and lively.