As the sunlight sticks around for longer periods and the air gets cooler, you may dream of having a patio or deck full of plants and flowers, or even a vegetable and herb garden where you can easily pick a ripe tomato and basil for your evening salad.
These visions are enchanting, but the reality of growing green space is a bit more complicated.
Gardening, although beneficial to our mind and spirit, requires practice and patience to master.
It's also a game of trial and error, as some plants will thrive and others will never see the light of day.
The good news is that digging in the dirt, tending to your plants, and ultimately seeing progress will motivate and empower you.
To help you out, we've created a special guide for beginning gardeners.
First, you'll find the best expert recommendations on what to buy for your gardening tool kit.
You can then follow the step-by-step process to use everything from gloves to paddles.
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Gardening ideas for beginners
a garden planner
This visualization tool allows you to plan out a grid pattern, explains Joyce Mast, Bloomscape's plant mother.
"It can help make sure that each plant you choose has the right amount of room to grow and flourish, and it also helps you choose which plants to buy for your garden. Generally, this is based on the amount of sunlight the areas get." they receive per day," he explains.
gardening notebook
MX$188 or
$5.69
Pass
Mast says that fertilizer is essentially a superfood for plants that can help them grow vibrant, eye-catching flowers and foliage all season long.
While fertilizing is ultimately up to you, it is recommended that you mix a slow-release fertilizer into the soil before planting to ensure healthy, strong plants.
He then says to supplement with a water soluble liquid fertilizer once a month.
Miracle-Go Performance Organics
MX$1,100 or
USD$ 45
Miracle-Go Performance Organics
MX$199 or
USD$ 25
gardening gloves
Quentin Vennie, author, certified home horticulturist, and co-founder of the Greenhouse Tea Company, says it's vital to literally get your hands dirty when you're gardening, but what's the chance you'll want to touch compost, manure, and earthworms? daily?
A few pairs of gardening gloves will protect your hands.
And if you want to make sure your clothes don't get caught in the dirt, try an apron too.
Cooljob Gardening Gloves
MX$764 or
USD$11.89
gardening apron
MX$426 or
$27.99 USD
a shovel
One of the most important things is ensuring proper root health and development with gardening, explains Vennie.
"One of the easiest ways to support that is to make sure you're planting at the right depth," he says.
"It's helpful to have a shovel handy to dig out adequate space for your plant to grow. They have different depth requirements, so do your research to make sure you're giving the roots enough space and depth to grow."
garden shovel
MX$ 128 or
$41.89
plant markers
If you're creating a lush backyard or patio filled with tomatoes, herbs, flowers, and more, it's hard to remember which seeds are planted where.
Vennie says that the plant markers are helpful in aiding your memory and provide orientation.
"Some plants like oregano grow very wild and could potentially take up a very small space in a short period of time, which also means their root system is taking up space," he says.
"Without adequate space for roots to grow, other plants will die. Use your plant markers to keep your garden organized."
Plant markers for your garden
MX$189 or
$10.99 USD
a rake
Yes, you are becoming a farmer... but perhaps with smaller tools.
A rake will help you break up compacted or clay soil without destroying life around it, like earthworms, explains Troy Smothermon, co-founder of StartOrganic.
"You'll use it every season to spread and mix organic compost and other substances into the soil," he adds.
a rake
MX$188 or
$25.99 USD
garden tools
Smothermon says that this tool is useful for digging small holes, planting, and weeding.
With this and other tools, he says it's best to avoid plastic garden tools.
"They break down in the sun and become brittle, which causes them to break down quickly," he continues.
"Look for one-piece trowels where the handle and heads are metal and all in one piece."
garden tools
MX$153 or
$13.99 USD
pruning shears
Make sure they're like a razor, and keep it simple.
"A good, sharp set of pruning shears is all you need," says Smothermon.
"You'll use them for harvesting produce, pruning plants, and general garden maintenance."
pruning shears
MX$ 115 or
USD$16.97
irrigation kit
Take some of the pressure off when tending to your garden by investing in a basic irrigation system.
As Smothermon explains, these are not only easy to install, but also usually cost little and save you tons of time.
"Timers that plug into hose outlets make watering easy," she says.
"You'll cut your garden maintenance time in half."
You can also opt for a large shower head that allows you to switch between different water streams if you don't have enough space for a sprinkler system.
irrigation kit
MX$ 1,048 or
USD$19.99
garden watering can
MX$373 or
$13.99 USD
how to start a garden
Know the difference between annuals vs. perennials
Choosing between an annual or a perennial comes down to what kind of flowers you prefer, as well as how much effort you want to put into your garden.
Nurseries will usually separate them into different sections, and you can always check the stick in the ground or the package labeling for more information.
Generally speaking, though, here's what you need to know, according to Mast.
Annuals
are planted in the spring after the last frost
and will live throughout the spring and summer.
"They must be replanted each year due to their life cycle and the fact that they are not usually cold hardy," he continues.
"Annuals generally require more hands-on care, including regular watering and pruning. Many varieties produce beautiful flowers that last all summer."
Perennials can be planted in the spring or fall, depending on the variety, and will live for many years.
"They are generally lower maintenance, usually only requiring watering the first year they are planted. Some varieties will require pruning about once a year; others will require none at all."
Strategize with sunlight in mind
Before you plant anything, pay attention to where those rays of light land in your intended garden area and keep track of how much vitamin D they will receive.
As Mast explains, your home's mix of sun and shade will also determine which outdoor plants should be in your garden.
Fortunately, almost all nurseries or plant stores classify between full sun, partial sun, or full shade.
This allows you to find what works best for your location.
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As an example, Mast says that flowers like geraniums, petunias, and calibrachoas require full sun to bloom beautifully.
The same goes for the vast majority of herbs and vegetables, which need a solid eight to 10 hours of bright sunlight to thrive.
On the other hand, impatiens, coleus, and begonia can thrive in shadier locations.
Create a watering schedule
In addition to sunlight, all plants need water too!
Create a schedule that you can stick to, and remember.
Although natural rainfall of course helps, you still need to make sure to keep the soil moist.
"Water the base of the plant and never water the leaves to avoid creating wet foliage that will cause some fungus to grow," he adds.
You can use a watering can or install an irrigation system, but determine how much watering your plants need by doing a simple test, it says:
Apply water to raised bed until soil is moist
Allow to dry and check daily with a handheld moisture meter
If the humidity level is below 5, then your garden needs more water.
"During the spring, you can water your garden every other day and increase the watering every day in the hot summer months," he continues.
"If automation is possible, install a drip irrigation hose or soaker hose near your raised bed to avoid unintentionally soaking other areas and creating sludge."
Fight pests naturally, if you can
Sure, you can buy pesticides, but Block says that in many cases you combat irritants naturally.
In fact, sometimes certain ingredients that kill pests can also benefit the health of your garden.
She recommends:
To combat cockroaches, moths, beetles, ants, and termites:
Use cedar mulch in your garden and plant herbs like mint and thyme, and flowers like marigolds.
"These scents work as powerful natural deterrents," he says.
To fight mosquitoes:
Plant herbs like rosemary, geranium, basil, lavender, mint, and garlic.
"All of these are offensive to your sense of smell," he says.
To combat carrot fly:
Plant rosemary and sage in all rows of carrots.
To fight rabbits, deer and squirrels:
Sprinkle cayenne pepper on top of the garden soil.
"The capsaicin creates an uncomfortable heat that will irritate the invaders' nasal and ocular membranes," he says.
Don't forget to prune and kill the head
To encourage new, healthy growth, Mast recommends regular pruning and trimming of your plant, which will lead to bushier plants.
"A good rule of thumb when pruning is to avoid removing more than a third of the plant at a time," he continues.
"It's crucial to trim your herbs regularly and pick greens as soon as they reach full size and maturity."
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