As you are reading this site I can only assume that you probably want to keep your garden as beautiful and healthy as you can. However, like so many of us, you might be feeling a little lost when it comes to being the gardener you wish you could be.
In this post, I’m going to let you in on three proven habits of great gardeners that can and will make anyone a better gardener.
Plant Crops in Wide Beds
A large part of why you’re getting into gardening might be to learn to grow your own food, ensuring a healthier, more natural diet, as well as an opportunity to be a little more green.
When you’re planting anything that you’re planning to harvest, get into the habit of planting them as tightly as possible, in beds that aren’t going to be trodden on. This will cut down on the amount of weeding you have to do, conserve your water, and allow you to concentrate compost for maximum efficiency. You’ll also improve the soil structure as layers of organic matter pile up over time.
Wide crop beds are frequently raised, and bordered off with neat boards, or even slabs of granite. Aesthetics aside, using wide beds for your crops is the best way to assure the health of both plants and soil.
Discover Mulch
Popular gardening journals and blogs like Outdoor Ideas are always flaunting the benefits of mulch, and if you want to be a better gardener, it’s time that you discover it for yourself.
Mulch will drape your soil in a protective layer that will moderate the temperature, conserve your water, and help to keep soil-borne diseases away from plants like lettuce. Pretty much all organic mulch that will break down into your soil is a better choice than landscape fabric, but getting your hands on the right mulch for different jobs is well worth the effort.
Straw, for example, is very cheap, but it’s messy compared to wood chips, and will break down much faster. This means straw is much better suited to vegetable beds, while wood chips are better for shrubs. Remember that mulch will only work as effectively as you want it to when it’s exposed to sunlight, so make sure you’re keeping on top of your trimming and pruning!
Think Soil, Not Plants
The health of your plants all depends on the health of their roots, and the health of their roots all depends on the health of the soil. Soil that contains different forms of organic matter is usually rich in nutrients, and teeming with fungi, worms and other forms of life that helps to deliver those nutrients to the plants.
Plants in good soil rarely need extra fertiliser, and crops that do need a bit of extra food will need much less of it when they’re being raised in healthy, nutritious soil. Rock powders, green manures and kelp can all be great for ensuring soil that releases its nutrients at just the right pace.
The point to take home here is that if you take care of your soil, the plants will take care of themselves.
