8 Gardening Tips for Beginners
Gardening. It can be the most enjoyable experience, but also the most frustrating. Enjoyable because you get to watch things come to life that you have cared for, but frustrating because, sometimes, it just doesn't work, no matter how much TLC you give it.
But that's all part of gardening - trial and error. You learn things along the way that you wouldn't have done had you not made those mistakes in the first place. I know that I have gone wrong throughout the last few years, but I've made sure to learn from those mistakes.
As a budding gardener myself, I thought that I'd share some tips for beginners, that I wish I had done when I first started out when we bought our home with are very own garden. So, here are eight gardening tips for beginners that you'll likely find useful if you're a gardening novice!
1. Spend time getting to know your garden
When I say you should get to know your garden, I mean things like checking what type of soil you have, where the sun hits throughout the day, where is shady all of the time, which parts of the garden gets sun all of the time, etc. You should also see where it drains well and where it gets water logged. This is important if you're looking to plant directly into borders rather than in a pot or container.
2. If you're wanting to make big changes, make a plan
I would make a plan over several months. Do not rush into making huge garden changes until you've done the first tip - get to know your garden. You need to make sure that you know where the sun hits, where it's shady, etc.
You need to plan where you want a patio or decking space for sitting or hosting. You don't want to put those seating areas somewhere that's always shady. You also need to plan where to put flowers and plants before you plant them.
So think carefully about where your new borders are going to be and what you're going to plant there. Do some research, Which plants like shade, which are fine in part shade and part sun and which plants prefer full sun all day? Make sure you spend time on your gardening plans, and do not rush into it.
3. Learn the basics of planting
Planting basics can be learnt fairly easily, especially with the help of Google and programmes like Gardener's World on BBC Two. Basic planting tips includes things like learning about the plants you want to use before you buy them.
Don't just buy them because they look pretty. Find out basic things, like whether they like full sun, full shade or partial sun/shade. Find out if they like acidic soil or normal compost. Find out if they prefer free-draining soil or can thrive in heavy, clay soil, for instance.
Remember not to plant flowers in the ground too deep as it can lead to stem rot. These are all simple things that can make the difference between your plants thriving or dying. Make sure you do your research into the basics before planting out your flowers.
4. Feed & water plants properly
Feeding and watering is important, more so during the spring and summer months, or simply during dry spells. Feeding plants should be done once every two or weeks or so, and the same also goes for your grass, if you have any.
You can buy general use plant feed, and also specific plant food for acidic plants and even roses. Water your plants and flowers thoroughly, getting to the base of the plant, most importantly. Don't water the leaves because this won't do much at all.
5. Start off small & steady
I know it's tempting to fill your borders or a few nice plant pots and containers with all of the most beautiful plants and flowers you can find, but start off slow and steady. Maybe have one or two plants that you look after well and then branch out from there. You'll learn things along the way with just a small handful of plants than you will by having loads of different plants with different needs.
6. Look for signs of pests
Pests are often overlooked, but people often notice the signs when it's too late. You can check for pests by looking on the underside of leaves for small insects, like aphids and greenflies. To deter these pests, you can make up a spray bottle of water and washing up liquid as a safe solution and spray the plants and flowers with that.
You could also buy pesticides at the garden centres or supermarkets, but just make sure that they're bee and butterfly-friendly so as not to harm the insects that we want to look after. You should pay close attention to pests specifically during the summer months and warmer weather. Pests can ravish plants to death, so keep on top of it before it becomes a real issue.
7. Don't be afraid to cut plants back
While you shouldn't be afraid to keep plants well pruned and cut back, you need to remember that there are specific times of year to cut plants back, and that can differ depending on the plants. For instance, most people cut plants down after they've flowered, but this shouldn't be the case with hydrangeas.
Instead, you need to leave the flower heads over the summer, autumn and winter, only taking them off in February/early March. This to protect the plants from frost and to ensure as many flowers as possible the following year.
The whole premise of this article is to research, research, research. Learn about the flowers you're buying or the flowers that are already there so that you know how best to care for them. Not all gardening types have a one-size-fits-all approach. But when the time comes for pruning, don't be afraid to prune!
8. Know how to be kind to wildlife
We've already touched on the use of pesticides and choosing more eco-friendly, bee-friendly alternatives. But you also need to make sure that there are enough food sources, pollen sources and habitats for insects to enjoy and live in. Know how to look after the bees and butterflies.
For instance, both love Buddlieas because of their colour, size and scent. Also try and have a water source near by. If there's room, have a small pile of leaves around for insects to live in. They won't bother you, more so if they have somewhere nice and cosy to reside.
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I hope you enjoyed this blog post and that you found it useful? Let me know in the comments below if you have any other gardening tips for beginners and I will see you all again soon with some brand new content!
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