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Gardening is a wonderful hobby. It can be relaxing and therapeutic, but it requires time, money, and commitment to succeed. There are many different things you need to do in order to take care of your garden properly. This blog post will go over some gardening tips for beginners that will help you get started with your first garden!
Tools
The very first thing that needs taking care of in any gardener’s life is their tools and equipment which includes things like gardening gloves, clippers, hoes, rakes, etc. Having high-quality items makes all the difference in how much easier they make work and really aids with maintaining healthy plant growth too.
A rule of thumb when purchasing them is that you will want good-quality items with warranties against defects in material and workmanship so go ahead and spend a little more if needed because it’ll save money down the line.
Plant The Right Plants For Your Climate
There are many climates like tropical, subtropical, and temperate so it’s important you know which one you live in before planting anything! If you’re not sure, there are some pretty easy ways to figure out what type of climate zone you live in:
- Look at a map of where all the green areas are – that means that area has a lot of rainfall year-round
- See if there’s snow on the ground or frost and this could mean that it has cooler winters with less extreme temperatures than other zones
- Find out how high up into mountains/valleys glaciers can get – then find an equivalent plantation level on a map of the other zone
Consider planting succulents. As the folks at https://www.urbanorganicyield.com explain, they are some of the easiest plants to keep alive. Examples of succulents include aloe, agave, and cacti.
Water Your Garden
Water your garden regularly but don’t overwater. Plants need plenty of water to grow and survive, but too much moisture can rot roots.
The best time to water your garden is in the morning or evening. Avoid watering on windy days because extra droplets can be blown into neighboring plants, causing them to get too much moisture as well.
If you don’t have a rain barrel for collecting and storing rainwater, consider purchasing one! This will help cut down on how often you need to water your garden during dry spells.
Mulch Around Your Plants
Mulch around your plants to reduce weed growth and keep moisture in the soil.
The biggest garden pests are weeds which can be a nightmare if left to their own devices as they have an incredible ability to spread quickly without being noticed until it’s too late. One way to get rid of them is by pulling them out by hand but this takes time that many people don’t want or can spare for such tedious tasks (especially on larger gardens). For those who don’t mind getting down low, there’s also the option of using a weed whacker to kill the weed at its roots.
Mulch can be anything from compost to wood chips or even shredded paper like old newspapers! You’ll want about a six-inch layer all around your plant for best results.
Note: this is only necessary if you live in an area with cold winters. In warmer climates, mulching may not be necessary at all since there won’t likely be frost damage to worry about. Mulching simply helps retain more moisture in the soil during periods without rain (which tend to occur more often). The extra layer of mulch will also help keep plant leaves and branches from dying off as quickly during the winter when there’s no natural sunlight.
Fertilize
Use a good quality fertilizer every few months. If you’re planting vegetables, use an organic vegetable-specific fertilizer that is high in nitrogen. These are great for plants like tomatoes and peppers because they need more of the nutrients that promote leaf growth than fruit production.
If you want your veggies to produce better tasting fruit, however, (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage) then opt for something with higher levels of phosphorus and potassium instead.
Deadheading
Deadheading is a term for removing spent flowers from plants so as to encourage new blooms and avoid them dying off before they can be pollinated.
Letting dead blossoms remain on your plant will mean that any chance of it being fertilized in the future has gone and if you want fruit or vegetables, then this means no harvest! Remove those wilted heads by cutting them back with a pair of sharp scissors which should look like paring knives.
Gardening can be a rewarding hobby for anyone, but it doesn’t come without its set of challenges. One way to reduce these challenges is by learning about what plants will thrive in your climate and then following some simple maintenance tips like watering regularly and keeping an eye out for any diseased or dead plant material that needs to be removed.
