Spring has arrived, which means people across the country are starting to pull weeds and plant seeds if they haven’t already. But for people with little or no experience growing fruits, vegetables, or flowers, starting a garden can seem like a daunting task.
Beginner gardeners should consider which plants are naturally suited to the location, sunlight, soil, and local climate before planting.
Some plants are easier to grow than others, but with a little homework and a little help, anyone can grow a thriving garden.
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local gardening resources
Talking to friends and family with more gardening experience can be helpful, but if you need research-backed advice on gardening-related questions, you can always reach out to your local Master Gardener program. The Master Gardener Program or Affiliate Program exists in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, several Canadian provinces, and South Korea.
Most master gardener programs in the United States provide training through state land-grant universities and their cooperative extension services, and many also have county-specific helplines. The aim is to promote gardening education in the community and develop volunteers who are passionate about gardening and available to answer questions from local residents.
Almost every state offers a Master Gardener helpline through the Cooperative Extension Service. (Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“What we do is educate,” said Linda Locke, a volunteer master gardener in Ocean County, New Jersey. “So we go out into the community and do a lot of Ask-the-Master-Gardener programs, where people in the community come in with questions, plants, things like that, and if we can help with the diagnosis. Let’s grow plants better. ”
gardening site
One of the most important factors for a successful garden is the right location. If you’re planting it in your garden, look for a sunny, well-drained spot. It is best to avoid planting near large trees or shrubs. They block sunlight and can compete with your garden for nutrients and moisture.
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Planting in the ground, raised beds, and containers each have their own benefits. Susan Emhard Servidio, a senior horticulturist and master gardener program coordinator at Rutgers University in Ocean County, New Jersey, says a common misconception among novice gardeners is that they need a large space to get started.FOX He told News Digital.
“Raised beds are good for areas that are very difficult to dig. For example, let’s say you have a maple tree 15 feet away. It won’t actually shade your garden, but the roots will get in the way. Therefore, it would be a good idea to have a raised garden.”There it would be a better choice,” Emhard Servidio said. “Potted or container gardening can be done on decks or balconies, making it perfect for small areas.”
Rutgers Cooperative Extension offers helpful fact sheets on its website that contain a wealth of information about best practices and site and soil considerations for growing specific vegetables.
To maximize plant health, soil testing is highly recommended for gardeners. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
gardening soil
Once you have selected your site, the next step is to evaluate the soil.
“Another important thing when starting a garden, especially if you’re doing it in the ground and actually using the soil that’s there, is to get a soil test. “How do I fertilize? ?What do we use as fertilizer? How much do we use?” we always ask ourselves,” Emhard Servidio said. “It’s like asking your doctor what’s wrong, but they don’t know because they haven’t done any blood tests to track it.”
The Cooperative Extension Office offers soil testing services, which are also available online. A soil test provides important details about what your soil needs to get the best yield from your garden. Soil quality and composition varies widely from country to country.
“This year has been an important year for soil testing because we are disseminating information,” Emhard Servidio said.
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She emphasized the importance of proper pH balance in gardening soils. “You might have fertilizer in there, so you might have all the nutrients you need, but if the pH is off in one direction, too high or too low, those nutrients won’t be available. .The plants you’re growing.” Soil testing is the only way to accurately assess the pH of your gardening environment.
timing of planting
Different crops grow when started at different times. Additionally, the start of the growing season for certain plants also depends on where you live.
Early April in New Jersey is a good time to start lettuce, but it’s still too cold to plant tomato seeds in your outdoor garden, master gardeners told FOX News Digital. However, the seeds can be planted indoors, so by the time you move them outdoors, you’re already off to a good start. Deliver your harvest faster. Tomato plants are a popular choice for pre-starting seeds indoors.
An easy way to get your garden off the ground is to find out the best time to plant the fruits and vegetables you want to grow. (Margit Kerwitz/FOCUS/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Peas, on the other hand, are a cool-season crop and will grow worse in a 70-degree home than in a 45-degree backyard. Garlic also produces a better harvest if planted while it’s still cold.
Strawberries are also a popular crop for beginners. Successful gardening depends on learning the needs of the plants you choose to grow.
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Let’s do gardening homework
When it comes to gardening research, investing a little time can go a long way toward the health of your plants. Master Gardeners are on hand to answer questions from the community. “We strongly support knowledge and researched information, not someone’s Facebook posts,” Emhard Servidio said.
Most programs are affiliated with universities and research is conducted in the specific environment of each state or territory. “There are many ways to grow, and there is no one way,” Emhard Servidio said. “But if you start with information from either Rutgers University, Cornell University or Penn State University, you can be confident that this is the best option” for your area. ”
Take time to think about what kind of food you want to grow. Gardening should be a fun hobby.
“Enjoy planting and swatting away the spotted lanternfly!” Emhardt-Servidio said.
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