Categories: How To & Tips

The Top 10 Things Gardeners Need to Know

Growing a garden doesn’t have to be challenging, as long as you know the right things.  There are a few things every gardener needs to know to be successful. Luckily for you, we have them right here. Below are the top 10 things every gardener needs to know.

1 Not All Pests Are Bad

We often believe that pests and bugs are harmful to a garden. Although in many circumstances that is true, some pests are actually good for your garden. They help to keep away the bad ones which will let your garden thrive. If you see some of the good pests in your garden, leave them be.

2 Follow the Sun

Not having enough sun or having too much of it is common destruction of a beautiful garden. Many plants need several hours’ worth of sunlight. If they don’t have enough, it will be hard for them to thrive. Pay attention to the sunlight need of your seeds and plant accordingly.

3 Start With the Soil

You could do everything right when starting a garden – plant to the right seed in the perfect location, use the correct fertilizer (or compost), and maintain it daily – but still, struggle for it to grow. It could be because of your soil. A good garden starts with healthy soil full of nutrients.

4 Have Water Close By

We know that plants need water, and you can’t always rely on Mother Nature to water them. That is when you come in. Keep your water supply nearby to make life easier on yourself. To check if your plants need watering, push your finger into the soil about an inch deep. If it feels dry, your plants are thirsty.

5 Know the Seasons

Planting in the wrong season could be detrimental to your garden, to the point that nothing will grow. Learn which plant is best in which season, as well as the frost dates. Planting before the last frost day could kill what you’ve started.

6 Learn to Compost

Composting is excellent for any garden. When you add compost, you’re giving your garden a layer of nutrients that they need. It’s easy to compost too. Simply toss organic matter into a container and let it sit.

7 Use Mulch

Mulch is another excellent addition to any garden. Adding mulch helps reduce the chances of weeds popping up, as well as reducing how much water you lose through evaporation.

8 Make a Plan

It may sound silly, but one of the best things you can do for your garden is to plan it out. That is because if you go to the store and start buying seeds without a plan, you could end up with the wrong type for your area.

9 Easy Plant Transportation

Struggle with transporting your plants from the nursery to your yard? A trick that will help keep your plants safe is to lay a ladder in the back of your vehicle and line it with plastic. The steps serve as little compartments that will keep your plants from falling over.

10 Prevent Invasive Plants

There are plants out there that grow like crazy, to the point that they overtake your garden. When this happens, they actually can kill everything else you have planted, as they suck up all the water and nutrients.

If you’re planting something that overgrows, plant it in a pot before putting it into your garden. The pot will prevent the roots from overcrowding your garden.