If your interest in #gardening leans toward the edible rather than the decorative, many #vegetables and #fruits are easy to grow and yield plenty of good-for-you produce, Shifting Roots says. Lettuce, for example, sprouts fast from seed and keeps growing after you cut it. Similarly, kale and Swiss chard take off even in shady spots, providing healthy greens throughout the summer. Beans, potatoes and zucchini require very little attention, and root vegetables such as carrots, onions, beets and turnips mature underground without much attention to the above-ground foliage. Broccoli and cauliflower are less forgiving to the beginner though. #GardeningTips
Tag: growing vegetables
Plant a Garden That’s Low-Maintenance
Use low-maintenance #plants to beautify your outdoor space without a lot of fuss or labor, says The Middle Sized Garden. Start with shrubs and ornamental grasses; most need to be trimmed only once a year. Avoid annuals, which tend to be high-maintenance. Pack plants closely to inhibit weeds; you can always thin them out if things get crowded. And limit the number of varieties you plant and group them together for big swaths of color and texture. Or you can “rewild” your #garden to make it virtually self-sufficient, trimming only rarely to allow self-seeded plants, flowers and shrubs to take over. #GardeningTips
Plant a Garden That Doesn’t Need Much Upkeep
#Garden upkeep can get overwhelming if you pick #plants that die quickly without human intervention, says Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond. Pick a garden style that suits you and your situation to keep things easy-care. If you live in a dry climate, try #planting a selection of drought-tolerant #plants such as cactus or yarrow. Bulbs, perennials and self-seeding flowers and plants will return year after year with little care, often thriving and spreading to fill space. Many wildflowers attract birds and butterflies and don’t require a lot of care. And if you don’t have much space, a container garden can keep things manageable while beautifying your home. #GardeningTips
Plant a Garden That Takes Care of Itself
#Gardens don’t have to be difficult to be beautiful. Simply prioritize plants that thrive in your climate, soil type and water distribution pattern to guarantee success, says Fine Gardening. If you can base gardens on native perennials and “allies” from similar climate zones, gardens can actually get easier to care for every year. As plants get established, you’ll do more thinning and splitting than mowing, trimming, edging, watering and feeding. Feed your soil, mulch to prevent weeds and maybe rethink how much space you dedicate to a grass lawn. You’ll soon have a #garden that practically takes care of itself! #GardeningTips
Don’t Stress About Summer’s Bounty
Home #gardeners can easily be overwhelmed by the sheer bounty of #summer and #fall #produce, especially if a particular crop succeeds. “There is an odd combination of being thrilled that you found the right plant and variety to produce like crazy, while also being stressed about what you are going to do with it all,” says The Homestead Garden. Visit the #garden daily to keep tabs on growth. Make a to-do list of tasks that will maximize your #harvest and still give you time to cook or store everything. Give excess fruits and vegetables to your neighbors if you can’t use them all. And look at gardening as a rewarding hobby, not a chore. #FreshProduce