Gardening is experiencing a resurgence. It’s even getting a whole new generation involved, with millennials increasingly interested in keeping their very own patch of the natural world.
Keeping your garden healthy encompasses several aspects. This guide covers a wide spread: the prevention of disease, how to encourage veggie and fruit growth, and creating a positive environment both for yourself and wildlife.
Get Off on the Right Track
The worst thing you can do when starting off is buying unhealthy plants. Getting rid of a disease is no easy task; if you infect enough of your garden, you may have to start over. And no one wants that.
Go for a trusted local grower that knows their stuff. If you see irregular or strangely colored leaves, do not buy. Another good way of checking for problems is by inspecting root quality. Healthy roots are firm, will generally be white, and you should see minimal clustering of roots (look for a healthy spread). If the roots are dark, soft, or mushy, avoid the plant even if it looks healthy otherwise.
Attract Birds and Bees (and Other Wildlife) to Your Garden
Many homeowners consider birds, bees, critters, or any other sort of bug as an unwanted guest at best and a downright pest at worst. But your garden is part of an ecosystem, an important component in the jigsaw that makes up our planet. Instead of pushing them away, you should be doing your best to attract visitors. There are several ways you can attract wildlife to your garden, including:
● Opt for organic. You want to go for fertilizers that won’t harm birds or other wildlife in your garden.
● Cut down on pesticides. They may be necessary in some cases, but try and minimize your use of pesticides.
● Add water features, feeding stations, and birdhouses. You want to create a welcoming environment for birds.
Choose the Correct Fertilizer
We’ve already made a brief mention of it in the previous section, but choosing the right fertilizer is too important to keep it to just one short sentence. Plants need nutrients to grow and survive, which usually means you’re going to need fertilizer to give them the right boost. These are the absolute basics you need to know:
● Soil test first. This will help you determine what nutrients you’re missing.
● Follow instructions. This should be a given, but you’d be surprised how many homeowners open up the fertilizer bag without even looking at the small print.
● Nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. These are the three main components of fertilizer. You need to get the right ratios to ensure your garden gets what it needs.
How to Grow Veggies
People are becoming increasingly concerned with what the supermarkets have to offer (pesticides, GMO, plastic). If having your very own veggie patch is something you want to pursue, then you’re about to join a growing tribe:
● Vegetable rotation. You don’t want to plant the same stuff over and over again. Change things up to avoid pests and disease.
● Know the right combinations. Certain vegetables work well together, helping each other grow and ward off diseases. For example, peas and carrots (you’ve heard the phrase, right?), onions and beetroot, tomatoes and potatoes.
● Natural pest control. Certain plants will help keep pests away. Lavender, for example, deters ants. The tomato fly isn’t a huge fan of basil. Garlic is good if you’re growing strawberries or tomatoes, as it controls fungal disease.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Professional Advice
Gardening can often be underestimated. If this is your first venture, you may want to ask for some professional advice first. Many first-time gardeners think that they need to do it all themselves or that gardeners are prohibitively expensive.
Sure, good ones aren’t cheap, but if you just need a couple of consultations, why not go for an expert? It won’t break the bank and it will actually save you money in the long run by avoiding expensive mistakes.
Last One: It’s (Mostly!) Down to You
The main obstacle to having a nice, healthy, and productive garden is usually one thing: you. It’s not an easy thing to admit, but what usually does it is a lack of consistency. Many homeowners start their garden journey with all the best intentions, but then falter when it comes to providing the requisite TLC. Tending to a garden isn’t rocket science, nor does it take a lot of money. You just have to be willing to learn and to put in the time.
Remember, keeping your garden healthy mainly takes dedication and a wee bit of a financial investment. Don’t be discouraged if you come up against an unexpected bump in the road; even the most experienced gardeners go through a bad patch. Keep at it and you’ll be rewarded!