One of the best ways to enhance your lifestyle is to get really good at gardening. The more skill you have, the more likely you are to generate results that look spectacular.
The only problem is that you’re not there yet. There’s still a long way to go before you can transform your garden and turn it into something special.
So, what should you be focusing on if you want to get really good at gardening? Here are some of our ideas:
Talk To Other Gardeners
The first step (as with most of these things) is to talk to other gardeners. Chatting with them about what they do and how they take care of their impeccable plots can provide you with exceptional insights.
The easiest way to do this is to walk around your community and strike up conversations with the owners of gardens you like. You can ask them about their techniques and everything they do to maintain their aesthetics.
You can also join local clubs or online groups. These are great for swapping seeds or stories and give you a community you can plug into whenever you want support.
Be Patient
Next, you’ll want to learn the somewhat lost art of being patient. As a gardener, the temptation is to always do something, but that’s just not how nature works. It always takes its time.
For example, if you want to be a gardening pro, it is essential to nurture seeds and allow slow growers to catch up. You’ll also need to wait for the right time of year to plant bulbs and some other species simply because they have an optimal growing season.
When it comes to growing fruit trees, you often have to wait many years for anything to happen. Apple and plum trees may require twenty years to reach maturity.
Experiment
You also want to become a bit of a scientist in your backyard, unafraid to experiment. Trying new things is how you learn.
For example, you could set up a hydroponics station and see whether it manages to yield any food. You could also try vertical gardening if you’re low on space.
Study Plant Cycles
Another thing you’ll want to do on your way to becoming an expert is to study plant cycles. For example, you’ll want to learn how some plants only live for one season (annuals) and others come back year after year (perennials). You’ll also want to explore the interesting case of biennials, which only appear every two years (missing out on blooming during the intervening year). These can often come as a surprise, especially if you think the underlying plant is dead (which has been known to happen!)
Use High-Quality Equipment
Becoming a gardening pro also sometimes means investing in high-quality equipment. Working with the best tools means you can do a better job.
Many aspirants start with a battery operated lawn mower and work from there. Removing wires improves safety substantially while eliminating the need for an outside socket. You also want to ensure you have the proper watering equipment and any hand tools you require.
If you have a lot of chopping and pruning to do, choose something that can shorten the time it takes and reduce the load on you. You can easily spend a couple of hours outside with your bare hands, so using a trimmer is often a better option.
Embrace Pest Control
Of course, while you’re creating your eco-friendly garden, you also need to consider issues like pest control. These can be severe in some areas, ruining your otherwise lovely garden.
The best way to prevent pests is to use natural means to prevent them from gaining a foothold. Ensuring your garden has plenty of ladybugs is one way. These are great at gobbling up smaller pests that can turn plants to nothing.
You might also want to use neem oil. It’s an antifungal treatment that comes from the neem tree. It’s extremely bitter, but it is also highly effective and prevents unwanted life.
Learn Plant Placement
Finally, on your journey, you’ll want to learn the lost art of plant placement. Studying sunlight patterns will teach you what to put where.
For example, tomatoes are a plant that loves to be in the light all day long. It needs all the energy it can get to produce its wonderful fruit.
Meanwhile, hostas prefer the shade. They tend to be more delicate and don’t require a lot of light.
Your job is to put plants in the right place, considering things like tree cover and building shadows. Then, you’ll really be a pro.
Disclaimer: This is a collaborative post. All opinions are my own, 100% honest & unbiased. Affiliate links are posted throughout. Feel free to read my Disclaimer Page for details and information on collaborative (collab) posts, guest posts, sponsored posts, affiliate links, and more.
