One of the most common misconceptions for first-time gardeners is that they think all they need is some dirt and a few plants. While technically this could be loosely considered a garden, it is more than that and you do have a choice to make. Gardens and gardening can be as simple or elaborate as you choose to make them, so it is a good idea to start a garden that fits your lifestyle and your needs.
Gardens and Gardening for Appearance
When you are out for good looks, the garden of choice is most commonly made up of flowers - a flower garden. Gardening with flowers is a great choice because it can still be as individual as you like. You have the choice of colors, shapes, sizes and possibly the most important decision - annuals or perennials.
Annuals will have to be replanted every year, while perennials will come back year after year without any additional help from you. Each type has their own pros and cons, but perennials are the most hands-off of the two, so if low maintenance is the direction you are looking for, look for perennials in your flower garden.
Gardens and Gardening for Food
When you think of a garden, chances are pretty high that you think about a vegetable garden. They do take a bit more work and space than most flower gardens, but the yield is tremendously rewarding and you end up with more to show from your gardening efforts and you will have fresh produce for a fraction of the cost of buying it at the supermarket.
Another major benefit to starting your own vegetable garden at home is that you will know exactly what has gone into the vegetables in your garden. When you buy produce, you have no way of realistically knowing exactly how it was grown or what pesticides or fertilizers were used. Gardening at home eliminates this worry, and by using organic and natural fertilizers you are ensuring the health and safety of you and your family.
Of course another addition to your food garden is fruit, but you should know ahead of time that fruit can be more high maintenance than most vegetables, so if time and effort are considerations, you may want to steer clear of fruit. If you are feeling like this is something you want to try though, you might want to start with a few strawberry plants, as they can easily be grown in pots called - what else? - strawberry pots.
Now that you have a better idea about the types and work involved in gardens and gardening, you are well on your way to having the perfect garden for you. All it takes is a decision!
A very common problem that many gardeners face is how to deal with pests and insects on their houseplants. You need to take caution here and choose a solution that will get rid of the pest but not harm the plants.
You will need to find a solution that will allow you to deal with the pests safely. One of your first steps should be to remove the insects from the plants. Daily cleaning of the plant will allow you to take physical control of the pests and also give you a chance to monitor the health of your plants to see how well any of your other efforts are working.
One way to clean the plant is to use an insecticidal soap. This process works by smothering or suffocating the insects as it comes in contact with the product. You will need to apply the soap liberally and frequently until you have rid the plant of all pests.
Another common method of ending an insect problem is by simply dusting your plants with a light chemical insecticide. Make sure to review the warnings on the product packaging so you don’t accidentally kill your plants. Follow the application instructions carefully.
When to Start Seeding
One of the often overlooked gardening tips by the novice gardener is not paying attention to the proper time to begin seed starting. One thing is for sure, you do not want to begin too early. If you plant too early in the year you risk having your plants killed by a frost. As a rule of thumb it is generally accepted good practice to begin most seedlings in mid-March.
Another technique is to start your plants indoors and then move them outdoors once they are healthy enough to survive outside. This technique involves a bit of math to get the timing just right but basically you will plant your seeds so that you can safely move them outdoors in about 6 weeks. Depending on your plants, this gives you about a week or two for germination and then about a month of growth before you can safely move it outdoors.
These are just a small portion of the thousands of gardening tips that are available. The more you can learn the more plentiful your garden will be. Gardening can be an extremely enjoyable activity when you follow a few basic steps. So if you are interested in gardening and you want to produce some beautiful plants you should try to learn as many gardening tips as you can to give you a garden you will be proud of.
And oh yeah, don’t forget to water.