A Beginner's Guide to Gardening
Written By: Lydia Campbell
Why Garden?
Steps to Gardening
1. Find a plant that works for your location
A common mistake people make is picking a plant that can’t grow where they live. For example, oranges grow in Florida, California, Arizona, and Texas. If someone plants an orange tree in Illinois, it will not survive. Another common mistake is not checking the label of a plant before purchasing it. Most plants will have a note on the label for what amount of sun it will need to thrive. Think about whether or not your garden will fit that requirement. If not, find a different plant.
2. Don’t buy too much
Many people get too excited about multiple plants and buy too many. Keep in mind that each plant needs a certain amount of space to grow, so you can not put plants too close together.
3. Plan your garden
A great way to prevent purchasing too many plants is by planning which plants you are purchasing and where they will be placed. Measure your space to make this process most effective. A sketched out plan would make shopping for plants easier.
4. Think about each plant's growing season
Perennial crops are crops that are alive year round and can therefore be harvested multiple times. Group these together. Another type of growing season is early-maturing crops. These crops should be grouped together as well, so they can be replaced after harvesting. Group plants also based on their size. Size is important because taller plants could take away sunlight from shorter plants if placed directly next to each other.
5. Read the instructions
This is a simple but very important step to gardening. Different crops have different needs. For a crop to survive and end in good condition, be sure to dig as deep as the instructions say, give the plant the right amount of sunlight, and give it as much space as required.
Tips and Tricks for Removing Pests
-Some of the most common pests around are the chipmunks and squirrels. They can be found in almost every location and steal any crop planted in one’s yard. To prevent squirrels and chipmunks from digging up your crops, there are two methods: dissuasion and barriers. Squirrels and chipmunks disgust cayenne pepper, making sprinkling it on the soil an effective way to fend off pests. The smell of daffodils also dissuades them, so planting them nearby is another option. Cages of many sizes and chicken wire are barriers, safely separating crops from hungry pests.
-Aphids are also common insects responsible for destroying gardens. Aphids are pests that latch onto crops and suck out their sap, therefore killing the plant. They reproduce fast, making them hard to control. Row covers are one solution to this problem. Made of a fabric that can still allow sunlight and water to reach the plants, row covers are effective. An easy and free solution is spraying the aphids off with a hose. Your plants need water anyway, so this kills two birds with one stone. Certain flowers attract other insects that kill aphids. Depending on which insect you want in your garden, you can buy the flowers that will give you an abundance of them. Finally, you can purchase insecticides and insecticidal soaps at a garden store and apply as instructed.
-The most common pests are weeds. There are so many types that are resistant and hard to control. The trick is to pull them out from the roots. Many people think that simply yanking on the top of them will kill the weed. The problem is that many weeds spread by their roots, making this technique completely inefficient. Some think that buying weed-killing chemicals is the best way, especially because it is less tedious than pulling out the weeds. This will hurt them in the long run, though, because the weeds will become resistant to the chemicals. Stronger chemicals risk the health of the crops, as well.
Cooking and Gardening
A significant benefit to gardening is the cooking that comes with it. Better ingredients make a better product. Breakfasts, lunches, dinners, desserts, soups, salads, sandwiches, and beverages are just a few options of foods to make with garden products. Below you will find sample recipes and photos of a few of these foods made with garden products.