5. Follow Directions for the Flora You Are Planting

When you purchase a plant at a nursery or from a catalog, they all come with specific instructions. These directions are supplied with the plant to aid you in helping it to thrive. Be sure to carefully read the packaging that comes with any plant. For instance, placing a shade-loving plant in direct sunlight will often kill it.

4. When Planting Veggies, Start Small

You may love tomatoes, but it’s probably not going to be a good idea to rush out and purchase 30 tomato plants for your very first garden. Start small until you figure out how many is the right amount for you to raise without becoming frazzled.

3. Don’t Spend a Lot of Money on Fancy Tools That Are Unnecessary

A hoe, shovel, garden rake, and a trowel are just about the only essentials you truly need to garden easily. You don’t need a fancy watering system or special tools to trim off dead leaves. A garden hose and a pair of scissors work just fine.

2. Learn the Difference between Annuals and Perennials

An annual is a plant that only grows for a single year. Once winter sets in, that’s it for the plant. Perennials keep coming back year after year. If you didn’t know this before planting your flowers, you might be disappointed when some don’t come back the following spring.

1. Know What Zone You Live in

You can plant just about anything for one season in all growing zones, but they won’t always come back the following year even if they are perennials. Make sure you know what zone you live in and follow any special directions with the seeds or plants you order from catalogs. If you live in a colder zone, you might need to dig up some plants that people living in warmer zones are able to leave in the ground over winter.

I’m sure there are some other basic tips that well-seasoned gardeners would love to pass on to people who are just getting their feet wet with gardening. Do you have any to pass on to others?

Top Photo Credit: Sergei Rodionov