New to Gardening? Get Started with the Basics

Get your time in the garden off to a productive start with our quick gardening guide.

Watering Plants
This year is actually going to be a pretty good one for starting gardening. In terms of watering plants, hosepipe bans around the country are likely to be in force, meaning any lazy, blanket watering of your garden is unlikely to be done. Watering plants sounds very simple yet is actually a gardening basic many do not do properly. Make sure you water only the plants that need it, and when you do thoroughly immerse the soil around the plant in water. Many new gardeners believe little and often works, however this means only the soil around the surface receives moisture and subsequently encourages shallow rooting of the plants.

Pests And Garden Diseases
Something you will learn quickly is that your garden is not just the domain of your plants. Thankfully, you do not need to worry too much about these, as there are insects and bugs that can keep these in check. Often letting nature run its course is a not often used but simple gardening basic. Do not rush out to buy pesticides or any other chemicals straight away, this may not solve your issue and could even potentially make it worse. Sometimes you will end up with a wider pest problem depending on factors such as the weather and other environmental conditions. It is ultimately up to you whether you then revert to a chemical spray or other product. Let nature run its course or intervene, it is up to you. Bear in mind that a number of issues can be solved without the need for chemical sprays.

Natural Control Measures
Slugs and snails can be the bane of many a gardener’s life. There are a number of gardening basics at your disposal to put these creatures in their place for good. An easy one that surprisingly few people do is act as a night snail-catcher. Wait a while after it gets dark then head to the garden with a torch. You can simply pick off the slugs and snails as they attack your plants. If you have potted plants in your garden, try a mix of Vaseline and salt around the exterior of the pot. Salt is the classic slug deterrent, and this concoction will dehydrate them as well as prevent your plants being attacked. A number of these gardening basics can help you understand how to get a stunning garden quickly. Do not underestimate their importance, but most of all enjoy your new hobby!