{"id":781,"date":"2021-03-03T20:36:52","date_gmt":"2021-03-03T20:36:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/?p=781"},"modified":"2021-03-18T23:03:01","modified_gmt":"2021-03-18T23:03:01","slug":"10-gardening-tips-for-beginners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/10-gardening-tips-for-beginners\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Gardening Tips For Beginners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Gardening is a hobby that just about anyone with an outdoor space can enjoy. You don\u2019t need to be a professional to get it right; trial and error is all part of the experience!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re new to the world of gardening and struggling to know where to begin, these ten gardening tips for beginners will help you get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/10-gardening-tips-for-beginners\/#Gardening_Tips_For_Beginners\" title=\"Gardening Tips For Beginners\">Gardening Tips For Beginners<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/10-gardening-tips-for-beginners\/#1_Get_The_Right_Gear\" title=\"1. Get The Right Gear\">1. Get The Right Gear<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/10-gardening-tips-for-beginners\/#2_Test_Your_Soil\" title=\"2. Test Your Soil\">2. Test Your Soil<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/10-gardening-tips-for-beginners\/#3_Plan_Before_Planting\" title=\"3. Plan Before Planting\">3. Plan Before Planting<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/10-gardening-tips-for-beginners\/#4_Make_Sure_Your_Plants_Have_Space\" title=\"4. Make Sure Your Plants Have Space\">4. Make Sure Your Plants Have Space<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/10-gardening-tips-for-beginners\/#5_Always_Soak_Your_Roots\" title=\"5. Always Soak Your Roots\">5. Always Soak Your Roots<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/10-gardening-tips-for-beginners\/#6_Label_Your_Plants\" title=\"6. Label Your Plants\">6. Label Your Plants<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/10-gardening-tips-for-beginners\/#7_Water_With_Caution\" title=\"7. Water With Caution\">7. Water With Caution<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/10-gardening-tips-for-beginners\/#8_Weeds_Are_Not_Your_Friend\" title=\"8. Weeds Are Not Your Friend\">8. Weeds Are Not Your Friend<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/10-gardening-tips-for-beginners\/#9_Have_Patience\" title=\"9. Have Patience\">9. Have Patience<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/10-gardening-tips-for-beginners\/#10_Make_Note_Of_Progress\" title=\"10. Make Note Of Progress\">10. Make Note Of Progress<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/10-gardening-tips-for-beginners\/#Its_Time_To_Get_Outside\" title=\"It\u2019s Time To Get Outside!\">It\u2019s Time To Get Outside!<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Gardening_Tips_For_Beginners\"><\/span><strong>Gardening Tips For Beginners<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>From building a gardening toolbox to understanding soil types, there\u2019s plenty to get your head around when gardening as a beginner. Read on to discover ten reliable gardening tips that will support you every step of the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Get_The_Right_Gear\"><\/span><strong>1. Get The Right Gear<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You will inevitably get a bit muddy when gardening, but planting with your bare hands is a surefire recipe for disaster. With this in mind, to get the most out of your gardening experience, consider buying some basic gardening tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For beginners, essential gardening tools include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Waterproof gloves<\/li><li>Spade<\/li><li>Hand trowel<\/li><li>Rake<\/li><li>Hose or watering can<\/li><li>Wheelbarrow<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/wheelbarrow.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-787\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/wheelbarrow.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/wheelbarrow-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/wheelbarrow-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>While there are hundreds of gardening tools available to buy, the above will allow for basic gardening to take place. As long as you can protect your hands, dig in the ground, and water your plants &#8211; you\u2019re good to go!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Test_Your_Soil\"><\/span><strong>2. Test Your Soil<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Gardening isn\u2019t a science, but some elements to it will make you feel like you\u2019re back at school. Before buying seeds or plants, it\u2019s important to ensure that the soil in your garden is healthy enough for growth. You can do this by purchasing a soil test kit. Soil test kits efficiently measure the pH level in your garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Understanding your soil&#8217;s pH level is crucial to know, as some fruits and vegetables cannot tolerate certain levels. Ideally, your soil <a href=\"https:\/\/www.almanac.com\/plant-ph\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">needs to sit between 6.5 and 7<\/a> for optimal growth. If the pH level is too high or too low, you may have to reconsider where to plant your seeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Plan_Before_Planting\"><\/span><strong>3. Plan Before Planting<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Gardening is all about making your outdoor space look presentable. With this in mind, it\u2019s recommended to make a plan before digging up the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you sketch your plan out onto paper or use a digital design, pinpoint exactly where you plan to plant your bulbs. This will help to quickly establish what works well and what should be moved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While gardening certainly does allow room for spontaneity, sticking to a plan will give you peace of mind and structure. You\u2019ll know exactly what the end result should look like, avoiding the stress of re-digging further down the line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Make_Sure_Your_Plants_Have_Space\"><\/span><strong>4. Make Sure Your Plants Have Space<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When sketching out your garden plans, remember to give your plants plenty of space to breathe. Crowding plants together will stunt their growth and make them more susceptible to disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/plant-sprouting.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-789\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/plant-sprouting.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/plant-sprouting-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/plant-sprouting-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are unsure about how much space a plant needs, a simple Google search should reveal all you need to know. You may find that you can team plants closer together over time, but as a general rule of thumb, allow for plenty of space to begin with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Always_Soak_Your_Roots\"><\/span><strong>5. Always Soak Your Roots<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To give your plants the best chance of growth, soak their roots before planting. This will encourage the plants to absorb nutrients from the soil as soon as possible, rather than waiting for moisture further down the line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s also worth keeping in mind that the hole should always be bigger than the plant\u2019s root. While this may seem obvious, many gardening fails are a result of the roots not having enough space to spread.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Label_Your_Plants\"><\/span><strong>6. Label Your Plants<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As you gain more experience with gardening and familiarity with your yard, you\u2019ll naturally know what\u2019s planted and where. However, to keep things in check, it\u2019s worth labelling your plants as a beginner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Make little labels and pop them into the soil next to the thing you have planted. If buying from a garden centre, your plant should come with a pre-made label you can use. Just ensure that the label is made from waterproof material that won\u2019t deteriorate in harsh weather conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Water_With_Caution\"><\/span><strong>7. Water With Caution<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The hardest job that comes with gardening is keeping everything alive. Many people assume that this involves watering their garden every single day, but this couldn\u2019t be further from the truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/watering-can.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-790\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/watering-can.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/watering-can-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/watering-can-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Plants cleverly take natural moisture from the earth, meaning they are not designed for man-made interference. With this in mind, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardena.com\/uk\/garden-life\/garden-magazine\/10-golden-rules-for-watering\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">avoid overwatering your plants<\/a>, as this could kill them in an instant. The only plants that require frequent watering are container plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When doing your daily &#8211; or weekly &#8211; checkup of the garden, poke your fingers into the soil surrounding the plant. If the soil feels incredibly dry, carefully water it until moist. If the soil already feels moist, leave the plant as is and let nature run its course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_Weeds_Are_Not_Your_Friend\"><\/span><strong>8. Weeds Are Not Your Friend<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, weeds may pop up in your garden from time to time. This is not good news, as they steal the nutrients that your plants need to grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The trick here is to deal with weeds as soon as they arise, rather than leaving them to fester. Unlike the rest of your garden, you don\u2019t have to be gentle when removing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When weeding, make sure that you remove the whole root to avoid infestation. If any seeds end up intertwined with the weeds, throw them in the compost. Weeds are like the plague &#8211; they will ruin everything they touch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"9_Have_Patience\"><\/span><strong>9. Have Patience<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Gardening is all about patience. Once you\u2019ve planted everything, it becomes more of a waiting game than a hobby. However, when done correctly, the results are always worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As soon as seeds start to sprout and plants start to grow, the excitement will start to kick in. You\u2019ll soon have a beautiful garden to take pride in!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"10_Make_Note_Of_Progress\"><\/span><strong>10. Make Note Of Progress<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Gardening works with the seasons; what grows well in spring, might not perform so great in autumn. While this can be frustrating, it opens up the opportunity for a year full of gardening fun!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Making notes of progress throughout the year will help you establish what works well and what could do with improving. As the years go by, your garden will soon become a constant masterpiece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Its_Time_To_Get_Outside\"><\/span><strong>It\u2019s Time To Get Outside!<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With this beginner\u2019s guide to gardening in mind, nothing is stopping you from starting your new venture. As mentioned earlier in this guide, gardening is all about trial and error, so don\u2019t be afraid to take risks! Your garden is your personal space; you\u2019re in control of how it looks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gardening is a hobby that just about anyone with an outdoor space can enjoy. You don\u2019t need to be a professional to get it right; trial and error is all part of the experience! If you\u2019re new to the world of gardening and struggling to know where to begin, these ten gardening tips for beginners [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":791,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/781"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=781"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/781\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/791"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=781"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=781"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gardenlist.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=781"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}