With the start of a new year, I thought it might be prudent to get back to some basics of gardening. It can feel overwhelming if you don’t know where to start in your gardening adventure. So, let’s start at the beginning!
The ABC’s of Gardening.
Teaching a novice to have a successful experience in gardening can be as easy as teaching a child their ABC’s. Regardless of whether the gardening experience will be for a few houseplants, a container garden, a large courtyard garden or even your entire landscape; these three principles apply to all. And if you follow them, you have a successful gardening experience. Let me explain more…
A is Anticipation.
When you walk into your garden, look around you before you do anything. Anticipate what your garden needs are.
Do you have some wilting plants? Watering is an issue here.
Are the leaves yellow and pale? Maybe you need to consider a fertilizer application.
Do you see webbing or curling leaves? It could be a have an insect problem that needs your attention.
Looking around your garden before you start can give you an idea of what jobs lie ahead of you. This can also help you be prepared and have all of the essential tools that you’ll need to get your job done thoroughly and correctly.
B it’s for Balance.
There has to be a balance between what you want the plant to do and what the plant is physically capable of doing. You need to know what your plant’s needs are; does it need a highlight, low water, or good air circulation. Placing plants in a location that doesn’t provide what they need, is the surest avenue for poor growing results.
C is for Consistency.
It is essential to be consistent with your maintenance methods when you’re dealing with plants. A good example is this; if you water to your houseplants every Saturday afternoon, then you should do it each and every Saturday afternoon. It might even be a good idea to keep a log of your gardening activities, to be clear on what you have done and still need to do.
The plants will adapt to the way they are treated, but if there’s too much time between maintenance the plants get confused and they don’t know whether they should be stressed out or whether they are in a regular pattern. Consistency should also be for your fertilizing methods, your cleaning process, and your pruning techniques. Waiting until a plant is in need of something may not be the best way to be consistent in your gardening habits.
Be proactive; anticipate, balance, and be consistent for a successful gardening experience!
Of course, there are a lot more steps to a successful garden, but if you can start with these three basic steps, then you will enjoy your time with the plants and gardening all that much more.
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This planter is a bowl shape ceramic in an unusual color of a purple/brown mix. The plants used are Alocasia Poly (center) Fern (Boston type) and New Guinea Impatiens.
This planter is a washed stone. Plants used are Hawaiian Ti Plant, Coleus, New Guinea Impatiens, trailing Licorice and old-fashioned Impatiens.
Gossip from the Southern Garden 