This year, our family started our first garden! I’m very thankful that I still have my ‘pap’ around to talk to about our garden and the internet (as well as Pinterest) has been a huge help to me too! We decided to build a Raised Garden Bed (you can find the directions in this post) and I recently decided that our garden bed needs to be doubled in size next year! Already. Yes, I know. I definitely didn’t leave enough walking room between veggies this year and our tomato and green bean section are over flowing so much that I can’t get into it to pick! (oops!) I am definitely NOT a pro gardener but I do want to share with you a few Gardening Tips I’ve learned this summer. I’d say I’m doing pretty good so far – See the veggies we picked last week? Not bad for a starter! The tips I’m sharing below came from these sources: my pap, HGTV, The Daily Green, Pinterest, Family Handyman and well, me!
* When starting a garden, it’s better to start too small than to start too large. Read that sentence again. In order to enjoy your garden, you must be able to control it. Don’t get too ambitious.
* To prevent accumulating dirt under your fingernails while you work in the garden, draw your fingernails across a bar of soap and you’ll effectively seal the undersides of your nails so dirt can’t collect beneath them. Then, after you’ve finished in the garden, use a nailbrush to remove the soap and your nails will be sparkling clean.
* To have garden twine handy when you need it, just stick a ball of twine in a small clay pot, pull the end of the twine through the drainage hole, and set the pot upside down in the garden. Do that, and you’ll never go looking for twine again.
* The next time you boil or steam vegetables, don’t pour the water down the drain. Use it to water potted patio plants, and you’ll be amazed at how the plants respond to the “vegetable soup”!
* The best fertilizer is the shadow of the gardener. Be there for your Garden each and every day & it will grow!
* Wear Gloves that fit up your arm rather than to your wrist. If the gloves are higher, you are less likely to get scratched and/or bit by any bugs when picking veggies!
* Save your Eggshells! Eggshells in the garden deter slugs and are a great source of calcium for fast growing plants!
* Water your plants the right way! Consistency is KEY! Do not over water and do not under water. Do the same amount every day. Plants like consistency. Also, water earlier in the day rather than in the late afternoon and on days where there’s extreme heat, water twice.
* When watering plants, use ice cubes to prevent fast draining. They’ll melt slowly enough so plants can absorb as much water as they need.
* Beets should be eaten the same day they are picked. I didn’t know this little fact and picked them one evening, left 5 on the counter to cook the next day and when I woke up, they were soft, wilted, wrinkly and no good! Bummer… Live & Learn!
* Check out this vegetable planting guide from ‘The Garden Helper’! It will definitely come in handy next year! (or just Pin this post so you have it stored!)
If you have your own garden, I’d LOVE for you to share some TIPS with me too! Comment below and while your surfing the web, view my Garden Board on Pinterest!
Oh my word Angelique! Your produce looks BEAUTIFUL!!
My tip would be to care for your gardens soil between planting seasons…adding in manure and compost to ensure next years plants have as good of a start as this years. I depleted my soil for 2 years in a row and was AMAZED how much everything did once I put some nutrients back in this past year.
Anyway looks like you are a gardening natural =]
Thank You Joanna! I’m very proud of my 1st garden! And THANK YOU so much for that great tip! I will definitely take care of the soil between seasons… thanks for writing!
HI Angelique! Great output you got. This shows your hard work! Am also thankful to Joanna for the comment!
Thank You Sara! Joanna is such an awesome homemaker- I love her tips and advice and LOVE when she comments on my posts offering a helpful hint
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