Tips For New Gardeners

If you’re anything like I am, you get a bug to do something and want to do it RIGHT. NOW.  That is exactly what happened when I decided I was going to try my hand at gardening.

As I started diving head first into the dozens of articles about gardening, I realized that there is much more to it than planting seeds and watching them grow.

Determine WHAT You Want To Plant

Do you want to plant vegetables and/or fruit?  Flowers?  Succulents?  What you want to plant will directly affect what you use to grow them in, the soil required and so much more.

I highly recommend checking a zone map that illustrates what plants grow well in your particular part of the United States.  Depending on your zone, you will be able to pick what vegetation to start with.

For example, I am in Zone 10a and by reviewing the Farmer’s Almanac I would be successful growing veggies such as arugula, beets, peppers, carrots, broccoli, and eggplant.  Floral choices for my area range from birds of paradise (a personal favorite), dahlias, jasmine and sunflowers.

Determine WHERE You Want To Plant

This may sound like a weird option for some of you, but where I live the soil is less than stellar.  I also don’t have that much land to grow a huge garden.

I’m opting for a raised garden bed for both reasons mentioned above.  I can then utilize the proper soil and “garden” on my travertine patio instead of a grassy area.

Go Shopping!

Based on what and where you decide to plant, you will be able to determine what you need in terms of gardening tools.  You’ll need the following gardening tools regardless:

• Gloves
• Shears
• Trowel
• Rake
• Shovel

Have you checked out my Shop page for must-have items for the perfect gardening experience?

Don’t Overcrowd Your Garden

Planting too many plants is a common mistake newbie gardeners make.

Yes, the seeds or seedlings are small at first, but think about how big (and beautiful) the mature plant will be once full grown.

Light and Water Will Be Your BFFs

Keep in mind that most plants require 6 to 8 hours of sunlight a day.  Scope out a few locations in your yard where you’d like to garden and observe the amount of sunlight they receive in order to make the best decision on where to plant.

When it comes to watering your plants, there are a few rules of thumb:

• Morning watering is ideal, then evening, then afternoon.
• Water at the base of the plants instead of spraying on top of them (unless of course they require misting).
• If you choose to garden within a container, you need to water more often than a raised or in-ground garden.

I hope you follow along with my on my gardening journey!  Do you garden or are you interested in gardening as well?  I’d love to know!

Check out some of my other gardening articles:

What to Wear When Gardening

Gardening Tools