Check out these 10 tips for new gardeners! Come share in the knowledge of things I’ve learned from my own gardening experience.
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There is a lot of information in the world about gardening! Sometimes, though, it’s just nice to have a chat with someone who has done it for a while to hear firsthand what has worked for them. As someone who grew up in a household who gardened, and as someone who has gardened in some fashion my entire adult life, I’d like to share my top 10 tips for new gardeners so that you can be ready and prepared for your first gardening journey. The worst thing that can happen is that you try it out for one year and then decide it’s too much because you weren’t prepared ahead of time. I want to see you succeed!
Table of Contents
- #1 Plant vegetables your family will eat
- #2 Don’t plant more than you need
- #3 Don’t plant too early
- #4 It’s ok to buy plants rather than start from seed
- #5 If you do start from seed, don’t be fooled into buying unnecessary products
- #6 Be prepared for pests
- #7 Learn about the plants you’re growing
- #8 Consider soil testing
- #9 Experiment and try new things
- #10 Be ready to fail. You will and it’s ok.
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- More to Read on Gardening
#1 Plant vegetables your family will eat
This may seem obvious, but don’t plant a whole bunch of zucchini if your family doesn’t like zucchini! You’ll be stuck with a bunch of squash that no one wants to eat. When you’re deciding what to plant in your garden, be realistic about what your family enjoys for vegetables and fruits and what they don’t. Then, plant accordingly.
#2 Don’t plant more than you need
And while you’re planting…unless you have a specific plan for canning or freezing excess harvest, it might be best your first year to just plan to plant enough for fresh eating for the summer. I know, I know- I’m an all-in type of girl, too. But it really is better to not be overwhelmed, discouraged, and then ultimately walk away from gardening because you planted so much produce that you don’t have time or energy to preserve it all. Wondering how much to plant in your garden? I have this How Much to Plant in Your Garden Planner that might help you out!
#3 Don’t plant too early
There is a time that comes every spring where you think it’s probably ok to plant your garden. You take all of your little plants out to the garden full of excitement and optimism. And then a late frost comes and kills them all. It happens to many first time gardeners! It’s best to wait until after your last frost date to plant your garden. We always plant the garden Memorial Day weekend to make sure we are clear from frost for our fragile new plants. You might also find this planting calendar helpful if you live in Zone 4 like us!
#4 It’s ok to buy plants rather than start from seed
Starting plants from seed for your garden is an awesome thing to do to save money and to have more control over how your plants are grown. However, it’s also a very time consuming, delicate process that might feel overwhelming the first year. One of the things I share as a tip for new gardeners is to start with plants rather than start from seed. The bought seedlings will be healthy and well-established, and they should already be hardened off to go directly into your garden right when you bring them home. If you start from seeds, you’ll need to harden the plants off to the outside elements yourself, which also takes a lot of time and effort. As you get more comfortable with gardening, then go ahead and start trying to grow a few or your own seedlings. But, until then, it really is ok to buy plants from the store rather than to start from seed.
#5 If you do start from seed, don’t be fooled into buying unnecessary products
There are so many products that people tell you that you need to start plants from seeds indoors. It really doesn’t have to be that expensive or complicated! Think about it- people have been starting plants from seeds indoors much longer than little seed-starting peat pods have been around!
We started our plants from seeds in red solo cups with a nail hole in the bottom for many years. Just recently, we invested in some reusable nursery pots that we will be able to plant in year after year.
#6 Be prepared for pests
It’s going to seem like the entire animal kingdom believes that you have planted your garden for them. Mice, voles, rabbits, chipmunks, birds, and deer are going to be amongst the top pests to prepare for if you’re a new beginner in Wisconsin. Be prepared by setting up a fence around your growing space. Deer can jump very high- so you’ll want a fence that is around 76 inches and rabbits can fit in very small spaces, so you’ll want a garden fence that reaches the ground. Electric fencing can also help keep pests out, but sometimes they are able to get over or under it.
#7 Learn about the plants you’re growing
Another great tip for new gardeners is to learn about the plants that you’re choosing to grow. Some plants grow really well next to other plants, and some plants hate other plants. Read up on companion planting and see which plants do well growing next to one another.
Another thing to consider are the needs of the plants. Some plants require little watering, others require more. Some plants need full sun to best produce, other plants enjoy some shade. Do your research on the plants you’re growing to have the most success.
#8 Consider soil testing
In order to give your plants the best chance, it can be really helpful to know what kind of soil you’re dealing with. Soil tests will help you determine what the pH level is of your soil, and then, can help you determine if you need to make amendments by adding certain natural substances to best suit your plants. A lot of times first time gardeners will just think they need to fertilize everything, when in reality, sometimes the soil is too rich for the plants which can cause trouble. It’s always best to know what you’re dealing with!
#9 Experiment and try new things
Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things! You want to grow watermelons? Try it! You’ve heard of companion planting with marigolds and tomatoes? Try it and see how it works for your garden! The best tip I can give to new gardeners is to experiment and try new things. It is only through trial and error that you will really learn what works and doesn’t work for your garden. Which leads to my next tip…
#10 Be ready to fail. You will and it’s ok.
There are definitely going to be things you try that will not work out. That is ok! Take that experience, learn from it, and move forward with your gardening journey. The worst thing that I see new gardeners do is try something new, see it fail, then assume that they’re horrible gardeners and give up altogether. Don’t do this! Even I fail at new things I experiment with, and I’ve been gardening for a while! For example, just last year we decided we wanted to try watermelons. And we were successful! Our watermelon vines were very productive and we were all very excited. We waited and waited to harvest until just the right time, but still when we opened it up, it was more squash-like than watermelon-like. What I learned is that the watermelon will cross-pollinate with squash! Our zucchini and watermelons were planted right next to one another. Though I failed at it that year, I now have the knowledge of what not to do in the future which will help us be more successful then.
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Of these tips for new gardeners, which do you think will be most helpful? Share it in the comments below!
More to Read on Gardening
If you’re looking for more tips for new gardeners, check out some of these other great gardening posts, too!
HOMESTEADING GARDEN STYLES AND IDEAS
THIS IS WHAT AND HOW MUCH TO PLANT FOR A SELF-SUFFICIENT GARDEN THIS YEAR
VEGETABLE AND FLOWER COMBINATIONS TO TRY IN YOUR GARDEN THIS YEAR
BEST VEGETABLES TO DIRECT SOW IN ZONE 4
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