Beginner's Guide to GardeningGardening for beginners can be daunting. It is recommended to start with a small amount and gradually work your way up.Try growing some veggies that are easy to cultivate (like peas, beans, and radishes). Take a walk around the garden each day particularly when the watering system is in operation. This will let you spot problems early, when they are small and simple to fix.Choose Your Plants Be CarefulAs a novice gardener, you should select plants that are easy to care for and require minimal maintenance. Avoid tropical plants, which are unlikely to survive your climate. Instead, select flowers or vegetables that grow well in your region. If you live in a region which is sunny and warm you can plant easily-grown herbs and vegetables such as peppers. If you have a shaded spot in your yard, you can plant flowering ground covers like lilyturf, thyme or meadow rue to fill the space.To make your garden more enjoyable For added enjoyment, you can also plant plants and flowers that attract butterflies and Hummingbirds. It is important to consider how much time you can devote on your garden when choosing plants. Certain plants require more care than others, and some will require trimming or weeded regularly.One of the most common mistakes novices make is planting too much. It is better to begin with a small-sized garden and gradually increase the size instead of trying to tackle too much at once. If you decide to plant an herb garden, make certain to only plant vegetables you and your family will eat. It's also an excellent idea to avoid planting vegetables that are difficult to grow, like squash or corn.Know Your Soil TypeIt's important to think about what plants can thrive in your soil prior to you begin your garden. Certain plants require certain conditions, such as moist and dense soils, while others prefer clay-based or sand soils.The type of soil that is in your yard will determine how many vegetables and fruits you can successfully cultivate. Try the "finger-test" to determine what kind of soil you have. First, you need to wet some dirt and rub it with your fingers. Clay soil feels sticky and covers the fingertips with a slimy layer. Sandy soil has coarse particles that crumble easily. Silty soil is characterized by a powder-like texture, and peaty soil feels spongy.The ideal soil is loamy that is a well-balanced mix of sand, silt and clay. This kind of soil is well for lawns, shrubs, and gardening. It's water-holding and is rich in nutrients. It it warms quickly in the summer and spring and is easy to cultivate. It is also acidic. If garden plants is not loamy the addition of organic matter can improve its characteristics.Don't forget about water!Keep in mind that plants require regular watering, regardless of whether you are growing vegetables, or flowers. For those who are new to [1] gardening , this may seem like a lot of work if you're not used to it, but it is vital to the health of your plants.Place your new garden near an water source. This will save you from having to walk long distances to get the hose, or carry buckets of water. Plan to water your garden once a week, depending on the weather. If you do, be sure that you soak the soil instead of just watering it. The objective is to moisten the ground so that there is always plenty of water available.If you're planning an outdoor vegetable garden, you should choose crops that are easy to grow for novice gardeners. For example, radishes and peas are quick to grow and provide delicious fresh food. If you're planting flowers, sunflowers, Nigella and pansies are simple and low maintenance. Avoid more intricate flowering plants, such as roses and lilies, until you've gained experience. Be certain to verify whether the plants you choose to purchase are zone compatible for your climate. You can find this information on the label of the plant or in your gardening manual. raised garden beds forget about mulchingWhen most gardeners think of mulch, they picture shovels, wheelbarrows and dust-covered arms. However, a layer of well-placed mulch can be one of the most beneficial things you can do for your flowers, vegetables or fruit trees.Mulch is a great way to keep the soil moist and to ward off weeds. It also improves the health of the soil in the long run by providing organic matter. It helps to bind sandy soils together and break down clay soils. It's a great habitat for beneficial insects and it makes the landscape beautiful.A layer of mulch positioned well can also help to regulate soil temperatures and make them cooler during hot summer nights and warmer during cold spring and fall evenings. This is beneficial to the plants, as it helps them absorb water more efficiently.It's important not to apply mulch too thickly, particularly around young seedlings and plants that grow and trail like thyme, strawberries and dandelion (keep in mind that you should remove the dandelion roots before applying the mulch). The optimal thickness is two to three inches for perennials and smaller plants and three to four inches for shrubs and trees. The most common organic materials are shredded leaves, shredded wood chips or bark grass clippings, compost.Don't Forget About FertilizingGardening isn't like a walk in the park, and that goes for all levels of gardeners. It's important that you respect the needs of your plants, and fertilizing is one of the tasks. It might seem like a daunting task for beginner gardeners, but it's fairly simple - and crucial!Fertilizing isn't just about giving your plants nutrients. It's about timing. You should fertilize your plants during the growing season that is from spring to the autumn.The most important thing is to use organic or environmentally-friendly fertilizers. There are many excellent options available, and you can find them at a wide range of local gardening stores or even some online retailers.Remember that some vegetables are more easy to grow for beginners than others. Things like radishes and peas are simple to grow and don't need any kind of support (just bamboo canes). If you're looking for something bit more complex, you can try strawberries, blueberries or tomatoes. They all require some help but aren't overly difficult for someone who is just starting out. Remember that they'll require regular watering and weeding and be prepared for lots of work!Don't forget about pest controlA healthy garden attracts beneficial insects that eat the plants and protect the plants from aphids. This symbiotic partnership works better than spraying chemicals that will harm both the bad bugs as well as the good ones.Gardeners who are new are often so excited about their plants that they decide to plant them without thinking about their individual needs. This can lead overcrowding and incompatibility, as well as failure. Watch the sun in the spring, summer, and fall to see the amount of sun your plants are getting. If you notice a plant is not thriving then move it to a spot that is more sun-lit.Regular weeding can be beneficial. Weeds can take nutrients, water and light away from the plants you wish to grow. Therefore, regularly weeding is important. If you are using fertilizer, be cautious -- overdoing it can damage the soil's microorganisms, and destroy beneficial insects that reside in the ground. The best fertilizer is organic, slow-release, and not extremely concentrated. Rototilling is also harmful to the soil's microorganisms. Instead of rototilling your garden, opt for "no-dig" gardening techniques which will safeguard the earthworms as well as other beneficial organisms that enrich your soil.Don't forget about animals.It's an enormous amount of work to master gardening however it can be a lot of fun. Once you've got a little garden it's an absolute pleasure to walk through your garden every day and observe the plants that are growing: tiny tomatoes popping up everywhere and pollinators swarming through the squash blossoms, hummingbirds flying through the bean plants. It's great to see something edible grow out of your hands.Once you've mastered the basics of gardening, it's simple for novices. Find a sunny spot, amend the soil using organic, high-quality materials, then plant seeds or seedlings and water regularly. Many vegetables and herbs are easy to grow from seed and even the most difficult plants like blueberries can be grown in pots provided you follow the guidelines on their packaging.A wildlife habitat, like a log stack or pond, is also a great idea. And if you have problems with animals that are destructive make sure you don't increase their appetites by keeping food or garbage away from reach (raccoons can be particularly adept at stealing garbage from garbage cans) and removing any dead plants or fruit as soon as you can. It is a good idea to prune herbaceous plant like lavender or thyme when they've finished blooming, which is usually in the late summer or early fall. Also, choose native plants that native animals recognize as food sources.