So you want to grow some plants huh?
Well, first of all, welcome I’m so excited for you! You’re future is going to be filled with dirt, a crap ton of seeds and too many garden tools! Don’t worry it’s the best. You’re going to love it…even when your plants wilt a little, or the seed doesn’t germinate it’s still a blast.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed about where to start don’t worry. I’m going to give you the perfect way to dip your toe in and get started!
When I first started my Gardening journey I wanted to start an entire English Garden from seed that instant. Ambitious and guaranteed to end in frustration! Don’t go crazy remember to start small and grow bigger! (pun totally intended)
What to grow?
First, decide what you want to grow. Do you want to have some gorgeous blooms, or would you rather grow herbs for the kitchen? I personally love herbs. They smell amazing in the garden and you feel so fancy going out and clipping herbs and tossing them in your dinner.
My favorite starter herbs are basil, mint, chives, and sage. They are standards at your local nurseries and are super easy to care for! Mint will literal last through anything. They are also land hogs. So if you want some mint, I suggest putting those divas into a pot. My dad’s front yard is under siege from mint he planted two winters ago!
Going to the Nursery.
You’ve figured out what you want to grow, now it’s time to figure out the next step. Since you’re a beginner I totally recommend going to a local nursery and buy plants that are already in the swing of things. Trust me! You’re not cheating at all, grabbing some herb plants and transplanting them is very common. Not to mention you get to get in on the action even if you’re in the middle of summer.
When you go to the nursery, head on over to the herb or flower section. What you want to look for are healthy-looking leaves, devoid of brown spots. Good roots- i.e typically white and healthy, not mushy, slimy and dark. (go ahead and pop a pod out to check it’s roots, it’s no biggie).
If the herbs your digging has flowered go on and set them down! Baby them bad boys have started to go to seed. You don’t want that. They can change the taste of certain herbs.
Start out with a good looking set of 2-3 plants. That’s just enough to keep you engaged but not enough to overwhelm you.
Tools
Perfect you have your plants now you’re ready to accessorize! Like totally my fave part!
Pots- Pots are made out of many different materials. Though the most common are Clay/terracotta, metal, and plastic. If you like the clay pots just remember it will soak up some of the water so you have to water them more. Get a big enough size that your plant has room to spread out.
Soil- You’ll also need to get some potting mix. Any potting mix will do, for now, we can go deeper in a later post.
That’s the basics and all you’ll truly need. But if you wanna get fancy. Grab yourself a shovel, watering can, or some plant food.
It’s planting time!
Now you’re ready to plant your babies! Water your plants really well before you put them in the soil. Then fill your pot up 3 quarters of the way and make a well in the center big enough for your plants’ roots. I usually go try to match the height of the container, or just enough that the plant can slip in and cover the root ball.
For transplanting in the ground, you still want to water the plant first. But this time dig a hole twice as wide, and as deep as the planter.
Gently pull your plants out of their nursery containers, by their main stem. They want to be free! Gently shake/massage the roots free just enough to expose them. Pop them in the hole and cover them with some soil. Next water to settle and pack the soil around the roots.
If you’re keeping them inside, they’ll be happiest by a south-facing window. (whip out your phone’s compass) If there’s no south-facing window, pick a window that gets the most sunlight daily.
If they are going to party outside whether they’re in the ground or in pots. Remember to check their plant tags, as the will tell you how much sun your plants need daily. You should try to find a spot that gets an adequate amount of light and shade for that particular plant.
Plant Care
Go you! You have your plants in their pots they’re all happy and healthy. So let’s chat about a little maintenance.
Each plant requires different care that can change depending on environmental factors, where they are placed etc. So it’s a really good idea to look up your plants and learn the basics of their needs.
For example, I kept a basil plant out on my porch in the summer and I watered it every morning before the sun came up. The basil would also get a trimming every 3 weeks or so to keep it growing. Which worked great for that plant.
However, my rosemary got ticked off when I watered her every day and trimmed too many sprigs. That was because rosemary plants like to keep its’ roots dry because it originated in a drier climate. So I had to back up off her, stop cutting so many sprigs, and let her dry out. After that, she did great, and kept on producing more stems and growing.
Those are just the basics of gardening! There’s so much more to learn and dig into. I’ll link some gardening podcast below I love to listen to and some books if you want to learn more from the pros!
Remember, you don’t have to be perfect. You’re going to make some mistakes with the plants (I still mess mines up) but half the fun is learning something new. Go grab a gardening book or listen to an episode podcast.
Then come back and let me know what you found! If you have any gardening tips share some below I’d love to hear from you!
