Gardening is a hobby that turns into a real passion for many French people. Indeed, with the current topics related to ecology and the information questioning the quality of the products available in our supermarkets, home gardening is back in force in our villages. Left behind by the new generations, the emergence of new states of mind and concepts puts the emphasis on growing our own fruit and vegetables. Gardening can still frighten beginners, which is why I am offering you 9 essential gardening tips for beginners today.
- Know the particularities of your region
It may seem obvious, but not everything grows everywhere, so what you plant is directly related to where you live. Take a look at the characteristics of your garden, from climate to sun exposure. This is the most important thing to do, as it will allow you to understand the limits and possibilities of your garden. Do not hesitate to ask this information from someone who works in agriculture or from a neighbour who has had a garden for a long time. By choosing the right plants and adapting their cultivation to your region, you will get a much more efficient crop that will require much less maintenance.
- Test your soil to know its content
To find out more about the content and composition of your soil (pH and nutrient levels in your soil), send a sample to your local nursery or do the test yourself with a home soil test kit that you can buy from any garden store. The results will tell you how acidic or alkaline your soil is, which affects how plants absorb nutrients. Since different plants grow better at different pH levels, this test will help you decide what to plant and what not to plant and will tell you how to treat your soil.
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Also examine the texture of the soil. It should be able to be easily grasped and crumbled into your hands. If your soil is hard or clayey, it will be difficult for most plants to take root. In this case you will have to work on it by stripping it to add fresh soil, mulch and compost. Take care to aerate as much and as deep as possible before planting.
- Start by growing easy plants
Growing vegetables is a very good start to gardening. Indeed they do not take as long to grow as ornamental plants, so if you make a mistake, you will not have wasted months and months of your time. Start with tomatoes, courgettes that grow fairly easily, or try any type of simple plants for your area that may have been recommended. Remember that early successes are an inspiration and will make you want to go further. The goal of this advice is to avoid going into the planting of very difficult plants that could slow you down in your desire for gardening.
- Draw a map of your garden to structure
One of the main mistakes of a beginner gardener is to over-populate his plantations without respecting the respective need for space of each plant. This completely interferes with their development and makes the maintenance of the garden very complicated. To avoid overcrowding, you first need to research your plants to know exactly how big they will be and how to space them out. In general, perennials, plants that live more than two years, should be spaced approximately 40 cm apart. This leaves enough space for new growth and gives the impression that the garden is filled immediately.
It is also important to know how high your plants will grow. The shortest and most creeping plants should be planted forward and the edges of the garden, with the tallest plants at the back. This is where it is useful to know the sun exposure of your garden. Think of the larger plants that would block access to light for the smaller ones, or the varieties that prefer a lot of sun or a lot of shade.
- Use a calendar to record milestones
Use a calendar will allow you to have a general schedule of your major gardening tasks for each season. In the spring, start fertilizing all the plants and do it every six to eight weeks throughout the growing season, which usually ends in the fall. It’s usually too hot to plant in the summer. In the fall, after the high heat has passed, cut down trees and shrubs. To add new bulbs or plants for the following year, add them to the same period, but you can also plant them in early spring. When winter comes and before the first frost, it is time to cut the woody plants and roses. This calendar will allow you not to forget an important step in the development of your garden as a whole.
- Learn to water in the right proportions
An important step for a gardener to know how to give a sufficient and constant quantity of water. Make sure the water gets into the soil properly instead of simply humidifying the surface. More recent plants should be watered more frequently because their root systems are not yet fully developed. As for the best time of the day, I suggest you do it early in the morning before it gets too hot for the plant to actually absorb the water. If you water in the evening, your plants may be more prone to fungi and other diseases.
- Take the time you need to maintain your garden
ardinier does not necessarily require a lot of work every day but regular and accurate maintenance is the best thing you can give to your garden. If you take the time to take care of dead spikes, remove weeds and dead leaves, keep your plantings in order, you will be in harmony with what the plants need to grow. You will inevitably see how each plant responds to climate change and how to correct problems like infestations before it becomes too problematic like managing an ant invasion or fighting aphids. If you notice growth retardation, check what happens to the plant’s roots by examining and digging carefully around the underlying soil.
- Be patient
Gardening is a process. It will not develop in a day and needs time. Sometimes impatience will cause you to over-water or shake the plants in hopes of accelerating their development. Monitor them regularly and let them do so unless something seems abnormal.
