Looking at a neighbor's thriving garden can be intimidating for new gardeners who may think no matter how hard they work, they'll never have the green thumb needed to produce gorgeous fruits, veggies and flowers. Don't let intimidation stand in the way though, as a few tips and tricks can help aspiring gardeners get off to a good start and create a beautiful, healthy harvest of their own.
Plants often need an extra dose of nutrients in the form of fertilizer, but few gardeners want to spray down their crops with chemicals. Used coffee grounds can make an excellent, natural substitute for commercially produced fertilizers and are often available for free. High in nitrogen, coffee grounds can be worked into the soil or packed around the base of plants like roses and tomatoes to give them nutrients while also attracting helpful earthworms to the soil and repelling pests like slugs.
Consider the Past
When planting a new variety of vegetable, fruit or flowers, consider anything that grew in the ground before. Some plants can leave a legacy in the soil that can sicken and kill new crops, so do a little research to make sure the ground is ideal before planting seeds. For instance, Garden Action states that you should not grow strawberries in soil that once contained potatoes, peppers, eggplant or tomatoes because these plants can leave behind verticillium wilt, which can kill tender young berries.
Try Companion Planting
While it can seem logical to grow flowers in one place and vegetables in another, a little mixing and matching can have benefits. For instance, beans deposit nitrogen into the soil in which they grow, making it ideal for vegetables such as beets, cucumbers and celery, which require the nutrient to thrive. Clover can be planted around apple trees and cabbage to repel aphids according to Golden Harvest Organics, and mint will also do the same.
Compost
Many things that end up in the garbage can, from eggshells to banana peels, can take on a new life in the garden via composting. Gardeners can compost their own organic matter instead of throwing it away, creating a natural fertilizer high in elements such as carbon and nitrogen. This matter can be tilled into the soil, making it rich and fertile for plants without the need for chemical additives.
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