Gardening can be an engaging hobby that provides fresh air, exercise, and, hopefully, a sense of accomplishment. But new gardeners often have questions about starting their hobby.
People frequently inquire whether or not it’s necessary to remove suckers from tomato plants. There are various opinions regarding this subject matter.
What should I plant?
Gardeners of all levels can plant many things in their gardens, from herbs and flowers that require little care to tomatoes, basil, lettuce, and perennial rhubarb—these all make excellent starter options for beginning gardeners. You could also consider opting for organic seeds that have not been subjected to synthetic pesticides and fertilizers during cultivation.
Consideration should also be given to how much sunlight an area receives for optimal planting results. While certain plants thrive in full sun conditions, others require partial shade or partial sunlight instead. Veggies and herbs typically need at least six hours of direct sunlight each day to produce at optimal levels; flowers and shrubs will benefit from direct sun, but it is still essential that their individual water and soil needs are known before planning your garden in this manner.
Once you know what type of plants or seeds you want, you must research their requirements. You can find this information online or at local garden centers; alternatively, speaking with neighbors who already have gardens might be beneficial for advice.
As your first garden, keep it small so as not to feel overwhelmed. A 3-foot by 3-foot plot should provide plenty of herbs, greens, and easy vegetables—and remind you to water regularly without forgetting! Without regular care, weeds and insects will quickly overrun your garden!
How often should I water?
Watering needs vary according to weather, soil type, location factors, and plant species. On average, vegetables, annual flowers, and perennials require about one inch of moisture each week, while fruit trees, shrubs, and woody plants typically need less. Newly established gardens or seedlings may need additional irrigation in the beginning stages.
When watering, try to soak rather than splash. Doing so will allow roots to absorb more moisture, helping prevent fungal diseases caused by wet foliage. Watering early in the morning also offers lower temperatures and less sun-induced damage, making this method of watering convenient if there are children or pets involved, as afternoon or evening watering can disrupt schedules.
To test soil moisture, stick your finger in the soil and dig down several inches to determine its moisture. If it feels dry, water needs to be applied immediately. A moisture meter is another helpful tool, although its accuracy depends on local climate and soil conditions.
Fertilizing is essential to plant health. It should take place regularly for vegetable gardens and annual flower beds or once every month for fruit trees. Vegetables require frequent feeding to avoid blossom end rot and ensure optimal growth; typically, a natural, slow-release, or liquid-soluble fertilizer should be applied every month throughout their growing season, whereas fruit trees require fertilization twice annually with fast-release liquid-soluble fertilizers.
What should I mulch with?
Mulching with organic material helps nourish and protect soil while suppressing weeds, conserving water, and moderating temperatures. It keeps temperatures cooler on hot days while warming them during frosty nights to reduce any damage from extreme conditions that would otherwise have plants from the ground.
Your choice of mulch depends on your garden and landscaping plan needs. Organic materials like grass clippings, composted leaves, manure, and well-rotted organic material like hay or chopped straw are preferred over those treated with herbicides or chemicals, as they could transfer these substances directly to growing plants.
These kinds of mulches provide not only organic material but are also relatively cost-effective. Local byproducts like spent hops from breweries, coffee grounds, cocoa hulls, or ground shells from salvaged pavers may be available as sources. Not only can these materials add beautiful colors and support local economies, but they can also add an aesthetic element.
Mulching can add an easy win for gardeners and is vital in protecting the health of trees and shrubs. When planting them, all areas out to their drip line (where rainwater drips down from branches) must be mulched to protect their roots from cold winter weather, frosty nights, and intense sunlight that might cause them to start growing too early in spring – using organic mulches such as shredded leaves or grass clippings as protection around their drip lines is an invaluable measure against damage caused by these factors. Organic mulches such as shredded leaves or grass clippings can provide this added layer of protection around these vital areas –
What should I fertilize with?
All plants require certain essential nutrients to thrive, such as nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium (and various micronutrients). Because they cannot obtain these from soil alone, plants take in nutrients through their roots – thus, fertilizers provide a quick and convenient way of giving plants what they require. Liquid, granular, and spike varieties of fertilizers are available; unique formulations may be designed to promote flower growth or increase tomato or lettuce yield while providing weed control benefits.
Organic matter like compost, mulch, and manure are valuable additions to any garden, yet they take time to break down and become available to plants. To quickly release nutrients to plants more rapidly, use liquid or granular products labeled with the ratios of their three major elements (often abbreviated as N-P-K). A 10-20-10 fertilizer typically provides all primary macronutrients in an appropriate ratio that suits most gardens.
Be wary when applying straight nitrogen fertilizers to established gardens. Too much nitrogen can lead to discolored leaves and stunted growth; too much of this nutrient can also leach out through denitrification, volatilization, and leaching processes. For best results, use low-nitrogen or medium-number (phosphorus (P) or potassium (K) fertilizers that promote flowering and fruiting.
When selecting fertilizers, it’s essential to remember that most dissolved nutrients found in soil are unavailable for plants directly, being immobilized in soil particles or bound up by clay particles instead. Furthermore, other factors can impact how easily nutrients become accessible – weather conditions and how plants take up particular kinds of fertilizers could all have an effect.
What should I prune?
Pruning is one of the most essential yet underappreciated gardening tasks. Unfortunately, too often, gardeners head out with just a pair of loppers in hand and start hacking away without understanding which plants need pruning, when to prune them, and how best to make cuts that promote plant health. Improper pruning results in poor growth rates, unattractive plant forms, and reduced flowers, foliage, or fruit production—mistakes that should never happen!
Gardeners can use several simple rules to help determine when to prune plants. Herbaceous perennials and summer-flowering shrubs should be pruned soon after blooming to encourage new growth and form flower buds for the next season. Woody shrubs that flower on old wood (i.e., last year’s growth), such as woody fruit bushes that bloom off the previous year’s growth, should be pruned before buds appear. These include Rhododendron (Rhododendron spp), Cornus spp), Lilac (Syringa spp), and Forsythia (Forsythia spp).
Pruning schedules for woody plants vary by climate. Generally speaking, gardeners should prune shrubs at any time of year to shape and remove diseased or dead branches. They should prune berries, fruits, and ornamental grasses at the end of each growing season to encourage regrowth and prevent the formation of unsightly bare stems.
Oak trees should be pruned in mid to late winter to prevent beetles that overwinter in their bark from spreading the oak wilt fungus, and gardeners should always wear gloves when pruning near utility or telephone lines buried underground.