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Gardening has been a typical American past-time. The popularity of TV programs, such as The Victory Garden and Gardening by the Yard, are a clear indication of gardening culture. With the rise in celebrity shows and talent shows, many people forgot about gardening. However, this is slowly changing as more and more people have found their long-lost love of gardening. Gardening isn’t easy. Even experienced gardeners are prone to mistakes. So, newbie first-time gardeners shouldn’t be the least intimidated. The trick is to get involved in the process, and everything becomes more manageable. Take a look at these six steps that can add valuable benefits to a first-time gardener.
Prepare the Soil
As a novice gardener, you have a lot on your table in your first year of gardening. When it comes to preparing your soil, a review on Green Grass Plot says you have two options: you can buy pre-prepared soil or dig straight into the ground. The former is a more expensive approach, while the latter is a cheaper option.
Select the Best Plants for Your Soil
Before buying any plants, check your soil type. Is it heavy and clay, or sandy and light? Plants thrive differently in each soil variation. When you buy new plants, you must plant them straight away – you don’t want to leave them in their temporary pots for long. Just ensure you’re careful during transfer as they may break.
Gardening Must-Have Tools
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You’ll require some essential gardening tools unless you intend on digging with your hands. Fortunately, gardening only requires a handful of tools and perhaps a good pair of gloves, such as unigloves. You also need tools for raking, digging, watering, and weeding. One important tool you need to have is a pair of pruning scissors. You’ll need these to cut back bushes and plants and cut off dead parts from your plants.
Label the Plants
Getting excited about planning a ton of plants? Good! When plants are still young – they all look alike. Even when they grow a bit taller, it’s always challenging to tell them apart. Before you start planting – create labels! If you plan to keep plants outside, ensure they’re weatherproof. Of course, you don’t want your tags shattering in the rain.
Watering
When it comes to watering: less is more. If you overwater your plants, they become shallow and have weak root systems. Such roots are unable to reach down deep to find water of their own. This also creates more work for you: your plants will come to depend on regular watering.
Take it Slow
Rome wasn’t built in one day. The same applies to your garden – you cannot achieve everything all at once. Creating your garden takes time. If you just recently acquired some gardening space, avoid rushing things up. Plants can remain in your garden from the previous owner. A great determining factor is the presence of roots. Typically, this is something you want to avoid.
As a first-time gardener, experiment and try new things. For instance, if you’ve realized you’ve planted something in the wrong place, you can move it. Many young plants, even trees, can be uprooted and replanted. Feel free to break a few rules during your trial and error stage – the fun is in the learning. Finally, outsource if you can.
