It’s no surprise to veteran gardeners that once the plants are in the ground, some of the most important work begins. For those new to the hobby of gardening, here are three of the most important tasks needed to maintain a successful garden.
Watering
There is nothing that will take out a beautiful garden than ill-balanced watering. Surprisingly, it is often not a lack of water that wipes out plants but an overwatering that will damage the garden. Watering just 1-2 times per week is likely the right mix. Try watering in the early morning or later in the evening as the soil is cooling. This time will also decrease the amount of evaporation too.
When watering, focus on the roots and avoid watering leaves. The plants will take most of its nutrition and moisture through the roots while the leaves and plant heads can form mold if holding too much water.
Don’t forget on those long trips up north, to enlist someone to water your garden for you or think about an irrigation system.
Weeding
Weeding is either the most dreaded or most satisfying part of gardening. Many of us have memories of weeding a garden as a kid and they aren’t pleasant. As adults, we can more easily see the benefits. Snagging those nutrient suckers from our gardens can be quite satisfying.
To prevent the growth of unwanted weeds, try utilizing a weed barrier such as fabric, cardboard, or mulch to help keep them at bay. If some pop up through these barriers, make sure you are pulling them out by the roots to ensure that there is less chance of them coming back.
Although we aren’t fans of weeds, we can also see the benefits to them. They are a great lesson in gardening for the younger ones around us. Don’t hesitate to enlist their help for pulling weeds. As much as they won’t like it now, there are definitely lifelong lessons in the task. In fact, it was such a significant event in our friend’s lives, they even named their business after the task. You can check their story out here: Your name is…Penny? Mustard?.
Feeding
Plants of all varieties continually need to be fed. Some need different frequencies so be sure to note who needs what, when, and how often. (This is sometimes included with the seedlings or seeds packets).
Organic plant foods tend to be slow releasing and continually feed your plants throughout the season. If you decide that water-soluble fertilizer is better for your plants, keep in mind that it is best to apply this type to an already well-watered garden. Adding water (including rain) after the application can cause the bonus nutrients to be washed away.
The hard work of setting up the garden will be perfectly complemented with these steps to maintain its beauty throughout the growing season. Have some other green thumb secrets to share? Stop in the greenhouse and let’s compare notes!
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