Five Gardening Steps for Beginners
So - you've acquired your first patch of dirt, eh? If you've been gardening for a few years...move on to the other entries--this is for the neophyte. Here are some things that will be immensely helpful as you plow into gardening.
First - Decide what your gardening beverage will be.
This is very important. It sets the Pavlovian stage for loving getting dirt under your fingernails. My beverage of choice is Champagne. Yours might be sweet tea, gin and tonic, or just a really good glass of red. But the fact is, you need to decide now what you plan to pair your earthy endeavors with so that you can achieve ultimate satisfaction from enticing plants from the soil. Sip before, during and after.
Second - Decide what your gardening clothes will be.
Association of clothing and something fun is not that unusual--think party dress only for getting up close and personal with mosquitos, spiders, and other crawly biting bugs. Long sleeves are a must, preferably a Tee with a funny saying on it. Socks and tenny shoes you don’t care about--they will in short order be unwearable for any other use. And if you have them, pants with elastic around the legs (see crawly bugs) so things don't clamber up your leg and bite you. A bandana or hat to cover your head is also a good idea. And if earrings are your thing...I have a pair of large plastic pink flamingos that always help me get in the mood. Remember--if you are gardening in your front yard, you will encounter neighbors, so best to look fun and festive while covered in dirt and sweat.
Third - Gardening Gear
Don't go crazy. Shop Tag Sales. Tools last forever and you don't want more than you can store. Get a good hoe, a collapsible rake, a shovel, a nice spade - try them out, you want one you like the feel of in your hand, a watering can, one of those cushy things for your knees, some clippers and a couple of pairs of gloves. If you are spending any time at all in your yard, you'll go through two pairs a year. TIP - throw them away when they start to wear out. No matter how tempted, do not save old garden gloves.
You may be wondering at what point I will actually start talking about gardening. That happens now.
Fourth - Plants
We are headed into winter, so remember all this when spring rolls around. Pick wisely. Under no circumstance buy pachysandra - it is sent to earth straight from hell. Evaluate your yard for sun and shade and then pay attention to what grows where and how tall and all those deets. Choose colorful leafy plants, veer toward Impatiens. and begonias, petunias, and hostas. If you decide to grow veggies--peppers are a good starter crop if they will get enough sun. Basically there is no difference between store-bought broccoli and cauliflower and what you grow so that is your choice. Snap peas are lovely and quick. Radishes too. Tomatoes are a life-long journey on the scale of the hunt for the holy grail, so if you decide to venture down that garden path - see subsequent entries, especially for next spring.
Fifth - Pest control
Be kind to the environment, the bees, and all the other things that are needed to balance everything out. I would encourage you to be organic -- if you kill one pest with a pesticide, you disrupt a balance that opens a door to something more insidious. Trust me - hard lesson learned. Best advice I ever got was -- they get some, you get some. It's not all yours. A mantra I have lived by with great success. If you have to teach some ornery little bug or slug a lesson - insecticidal soap which you can make yourself or Neem is my suggestion. Both very friendly and effective. Anything for an organic garden will work. Also, pick a nice plant food - read the labels. Nothing grows that isn't fed. Let me repeat that. Nothing grows that isn't fed.
That's it my friends. This should get you started when the weather warms up again. Feel free to email me with any questions and good luck in your gardening journey.
