Gardening Tips For Summer 2020 That Will Have Your Garden Flourishing
Have you ever tried gardening and watched in despair as your plants died before your very eyes? You tried everything, and for some reason, you just couldn’t keep those little plant babies going? Try to start your garden again by following these helpful gardening tips for the summer! Let’s make your plant friends flourish in the gorgeous summer sun!
1. Research before you plant!
This is a very crucial step. Not all seeds can be planted in the spring or summer. Some vegetables require cooler temperatures and grow better in the fall. However, some plants thrive on that summer heat. If you’re looking to plant some vegetables, then you need to grow sweet potatoes, peas, hot peppers, zucchini, eggplant, cucumbers, and corn. If you’re looking for some sweet fruit, you need to plant melons, blueberries, strawberries, and grapes. These are the best veggies and fruits to try, but remember to do more research on them! Some of them need more acidic soil or more water. While they love the heat, they may need a break from the sun during the day. Use Google or go to your local bookstore and find a used book on gardening. Of all the gardening tips and tricks, this is the most important gardening tip you will ever get!
2. Make sure you have space
If you live in the city or an apartment complex, you might be thinking it’s impossible to have your own garden. Don’t believe that lie! There are tons of ways to make a space-saving garden. It’s possible that you won’t be able to grow everything you want, but you can easily make stacked gardens using old pallets, ladders, or bookshelves that only take up a small amount of space on your patio but can pack a bunch of plants, and planting pots are your best friend! With just a drill, some clay pots, and thread, you can make a hanging garden with at least four kinds of plants. I would suggest just planting light foods such as herbs, tomatoes, and peppers. Heavier things like melons and squash or plants that need to climb like raspberries and blackberries may not work in that case. Get creative and upcycle some old materials in your home to make a stacked garden! You can do it! This is a gardening tip that will help you recycle as well, so use it!
3. Don’t over water!
Out of all the gardening tips out there, this seems like an obvious one, but over-watering might be one of the biggest reasons your plants are dying. New gardeners sometimes think their plants need more water than they actually do, or they continue to water even when there has been rain and humidity. Don’t do this! Giving your plants too much water leads to root rot, and then your plants won’t grow and you won’t be able to use them. You only need to water your plants if the soil is dry to the touch. If the soil is already damp or wet, do not water! Follow the first gardening tip: research! A quick Google search or a gardening book can help you determine how much water your plants need. If you don’t follow this tip, your plants could wilt, develop spots on the leaves, create mold and inedible mushrooms, or simply die.
4. Grow what you buy the most.
What are your favorite vegetables to get from the grocery store? Do you buy lots of carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, and squash? Maybe lots of green beans? I have talked to many beginning gardeners that just decide to grow anything and everything because they can. However, the point of having your own garden is to enjoy helping the environment. If you grow things you don’t typically eat, then it’s more than likely going to go to waste. Don’t contribute to food waste when you’re not even buying the food! Save yourself money and only grow things that you know you will want to eat. That’s a very uncommon gardening tip, but trust me, your wallet and the environment will thank you.
5. Don’t just grow things you can eat.
When you grow food, common garden pests often hurt the plants or take away vital nutrients. Instead of risking your health and the environment by using at-home pesticides or pest control, look for natural remedies. Even if you’re planting in a small space, you can make room for some of these helpful plants. The most common pest repellent is marigolds. Marigolds are easy to grow, they love the sun, and they naturally repel common pests like aphids and beetles. They only need water at the base of the plant and only during extremely hot days. They are susceptible to root rot. Mint and peppermint are also popular plants that will keep your garden thriving. These must be planted in pots, though, or they could spread and take over the garden. This is one of the best gardening tips because not only will you save your plants, you’re less likely to deal with bugs while weeding or tending to your garden. Growing a bountiful garden and avoiding gross bugs? Yes, please! That’s probably the most beneficial gardening tip.
6. Watch out for weeds!
Because of the temperature, you’re going to find yourself weeding every single day for at least an hour at a time (depending on how big your garden is) if you’re not careful. Prepare for weeds by doing some extra prep work. Whether you’re making a patio garden or you have a whole backyard, you can do lots of things to prevent weeds without using sprays or toxins, and this is a helpful gardening tip that won’t cost you too much money. Before you plant, purchase some landscape fabric. It’s cheap and easy to use! For potted plants, measure out the box and cut out a piece of cloth that will fit in the box. Then, stake the cloth on the edges. You can cut out small holes for seeds or starter plants to grow through and then cover with soil. Your plants will still get water and nutrients, but weeds and unwanted plants will suffocate. This might be a lot of work for huge backyard gardens (so it might seem like a useless gardening tip), but spending time doing the prep work now will prevent you from spending so much extra time throughout the season weeding in the hot sun. You can also use mulch around your plants. It’s not as effective as landscape fabric, but it looks pretty, smells wonderful, and it might be easier to lay down than the fabric. Gardening tips should help you make the garden look pretty, too, right? Just remember that you’ll need to lay down new mulch periodically. You’ll still probably get a lot of weeds, but they will be easier to manage.
