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Gardening

Find tips and tricks to make your garden or allotment flourish on our Gardening forum.

If you could give one bit of advice to a novice gardener, what would it be?

69 replies

ohfook · 24/07/2022 18:08

I'm the novice gardener. This is my third year of haven a garden and I'm slowly getting better but feel free to imagine you're giving advice to someone completely clueless but with bags of enthusiasm. What would you say?

OP posts:
asimileofsomesmoke · 24/07/2022 23:04

Look up Monty Don's website.
Don't use pesticides even when the slugs eat your hand-reared seedlings.
Flowers are lovely, but you need shrubs as well. A garden should be 90% green or it risks starting to look too busy unless you are a horticultural genius.
Learn to say 'next year I will do it differently.'
Remember to sit down in it with a cup of tea and a sense of pride!

buckleten · 24/07/2022 23:07

Don't plant things too close together!

jazzybelle · 24/07/2022 23:13

Weed and cut/trim shrubs and trees in autumn or spring.

FourChimneys · 24/07/2022 23:14

Grow easy things well rather than difficult things badly.

Learn how to prune.

Remember to sit and enjoy your garden, not just work in it.

TheDuchessOfMN · 24/07/2022 23:15

I would say plant pots of tulips in autumn. They are just the best thing in march/April. I actually begin to see spring bulbs poking through in December & January, always gives me a lift on a dreary winter’s day.

Water and deadhead

know your aspect - there’s no point in planting a lot of things north facing or in shade, or under a tree

Be wildlife friendly - no sprays, chemicals etc.

Walk around a garden Centre at different times of year to see what’s in bloom and looking good that month. Try to have something for each season.

godmum56 · 24/07/2022 23:21

take your time, do your research. Decide what you enjoy and what you don't. Do what you enjoy and not what you don't. It can be hard work but it shouldn't be a chore.

echt · 24/07/2022 23:22

Work on the soil first.
if you have a lovely pot, don't plant directly into it, put the plant in a black plastic pot then place inside. That way you don't have to smash the pot when the plant outgrows it and refuses to budge.
A plant that pops its clogs isn't a failure, it's a moment to learn. There will be many of these learning opportunities. Grin
Plant (suitable) trees.

twocatsandtwokids · 24/07/2022 23:26

Plan ahead! Shrubs/plants/trees etc will grow so don’t plant too many long-lasting things too close together. I am still learning this it would appear 😂

larkstar · 25/07/2022 00:15

One piece of advice is never going to be enough.

It's a multi-stranded thing - you can't do everything that needs doing though - you do what you can and get better at it. I'd say make sure you don't just work in your garden - make sure you enjoy it by sitting out to read or listen to the radio.

OK various things -
You can't expect your soil to enable everything to grow - you really have to look after your soil by putting organic matter into it so you need your own compost heap - ideally 2 bins or you can make one with wooden pallets - keep mixing it up with the fork and better to get some of the compost out of the bins and in to your garden instead of leaving it in the bin. I buy a ton of soil improver most years and get rotted manure from local stables - just turn up and take as many trugs away as you like - you are helping them. I put fine wood chip down and occasionally buy bags of manure if I'm planting things like roses - which I was never very keen on until I started buying them from David Austin.

Plant some young trees - they take years to grow - so best to get them in early in your gardening life if you are staying put I have put in 2 acers, 3 silver birches, 4 magnolias, a rowan, 2 amelachiers, a bay - probably some others too - all different to one another.

Get several water butts - plumb them in to the downspouts if you can - I have 4 x 220L - rainwater is so precious in the hot weather - you have to go out and water plants, shrubs and trees - it's actually something I quite like doing in the evening.

One big thing - choosing plants for your soil type and planting in the right location are important, improving your soil is too but the 3rd most important thing I've learned is that knowing when and how to prune is really important - don't neglect to look up advice for every plant you put in.

4th point - a tip I suppose - it to look around at other peoples gardens around where you live to see what grows well and looks good - you can always ask the homeowners what the plants are if you happen to see them around. If not - take a photo and use Google Lens on your phone to analyse your photo and give you some hints as to what the plant is - I've found it works very well if you take good close up photos.

5th point - nothing wrong with an untidy garden - it's impossible to keep on top of absolutely everything.

6th point - if plants aren't thriving - consider moving them or even culling them to make way for something that might do better. I've moved an acer after 7 years to a shadier spot and a camellia that has never flowered in 5 years - I think it's been too close to other trees that have left it a bit dry.

7th point - I tend to buy smaller plants and let them learn to live and grow in my soil - I want to buy some broom (Cytisus 'Boskoop Ruby' - I had one but it has not done well this year - it's been a brilliant plant but parts have died this year - so I've dug it out but want another) - I won't buy the biggest one I can - I find the smaller plants tend to fair better in the long run. I'm also after another buddleia - I have 2 already - the bumblebees and butterfly's love them - once again I'll buy something smallish and let it establish itself and I'll buy something different to what I already have.

There is always so much more to learn.

HTH

scissorsandsellotape · 25/07/2022 00:37

TheTrunkinator · 24/07/2022 22:38

Feed your pots! I had no idea you had to feed them regularly and was completely puzzled when they all died. My friend told me to buy liquid seaweed from Amazon / Wilko and feed them ever week to ten days in the summer, and they've been going for years now.

Omg me neither
Thank
You
I am a
Novice too

Pickanameforme · 25/07/2022 00:40

If you are not sure where to plant something leave it in a pot and move it around until you are happy with it.

SaintHelena · 25/07/2022 07:05

The weather -amount of sun, rain, unusual hot, cold, long dry/wet spells vary every year - so give plants a chance . They may not do well one year but can bloom beautifully/ produce a great crop the next even if your treatment is the same.

The garden won't go away so if you fail to prune, weed, tie up, dig over - it doesn't matter you can sort it the next year.

BarrelOfOtters2 · 25/07/2022 07:12

Plant a tree or two. Check what size they will grow to first. There’s a tree for even the smallest space. I had a tiny back yard with 4 trees.

Sunflowersinthewind · 25/07/2022 07:13

Some of these have been said already

Actually calculate how much and where the sun hits your garden

Miracle Gro is your friend

Don't plant too close together

Accept sometimes things die

But also its ok if actually you change your mind about something and want to dig it up

Therealpink · 25/07/2022 07:16

Prune!!! Don’t just let plants and trees do their own thing. If you prune it you own it and how it looks forever.

TuxedoJunction · 25/07/2022 07:22

If like us you inherited a very large garden with a lot in it, don’t feel bad to get rid of plants that don’t work for you.

Our garden had a lot of rose bushes (a whole bed of them in one part!) in it when we moved here. It took us two years to realise that we couldn’t keep up with the amount of upkeep they needed for them to look half presentable (pruning/ deadheading/getting rid of black spot/weeding). We took virtually all the roses out and simplified the garden. So much easier to maintain now.

My other bit of advice is to not be scared to give things a very hard cut back. 9/10 they’ll grow back better than before.

roastedsaltedpeanut · 25/07/2022 07:27

I agree with starting with seeds. You will see these seedlings as your little babies and be more inclined to check on them once planted. During the process you will inevitably learn about soil, nutrients, weeding and everything else needed for basic gardening.
This type of hands down approach is much more practical in my opinion than purely theoretical approach by reading and watching.

Of course practice and theories go hand in hand but to take advantage of your bags of enthusiasm I’d suggest start with seeds in February next year. Buy a propagate type of boxes online and get some seeds. Annuals are always easier to grow as their life literally depend on their sprouting. Perennials are less fussed about being handled and moved from pot to ground.

There isn’t much you could seed now so perfect time for theoretical research while experimenting with ready grown flowers from garden centres. Have fun shopping!

Autumn and winter are bareroot season, much less exciting than seedlings as you simply plonk them in the ground and wait. But bareroot could be highly economical in the long run.

ohfook · 25/07/2022 07:33

This has been so lovely to read through. Thank you so much everyone.

I've never thought to check my soil type and I'm terrible for remembering to feed plants too so I'll definitely be doing those two things today!

I usually buy my plants from the little church plant sales near me but this week I've gone wild in the b&q plant clearance and I'm determined to keep it all alive.

OP posts:
byvirtue · 25/07/2022 07:37

Read all the books (charity shops and libraries have loads of gardening books), watch gardeners world, find YouTubers/instagrammers who are growing the kind of plants you are interested in. It’s amazing how quickly you will learn. In a year I have gone from being slightly clueless chuck plants in the ground to having a house full of flowers I grew and virtually being self sufficient in veg/berries (this month at least!).

Get on top of timings, books that have been invaluable to me tell me what to plant when. Eg. I’m about to order all my spring bulbs which need planting in the autumn tulips/daffodils/crocus/alliums (hundreds of them). Getting organised is so important as if you miss the planting/sowing window for one plant you have to wait another year before you get another chance.

RIPWalter · 25/07/2022 07:40

Buy a pair of dungarees within integrated knee pads, they make gardening much more comfortable and efficient.

AlwaysLatte · 25/07/2022 07:43

My gardener had some good advice - go to a garden centre once a month to buy plants in flower for any gaps in the cottage borders. Good advice as we have year-round colour.

RIPWalter · 25/07/2022 07:45

If you struggle to remember to feed your plants look at the slow release pellets that you push into the soil in the pot and last for several months. Then you just have to water. They are especially good for me as we are on a private water supply (bore hole) and therefore don't have any of the concerns about chemicals in the tap water damaging the plants. So know I can just turn the hose on them.

SweatyChamoisPad · 25/07/2022 07:47

RIPWalter · 25/07/2022 07:40

Buy a pair of dungarees within integrated knee pads, they make gardening much more comfortable and efficient.

These exist??? Do you have a link.

ChardonnaysBeastlyCat · 25/07/2022 07:53

Think vertical.

Start at the back, by the fences and work forward. Use shrubs and climbers to cover the fence and small trees. Use native trees and think of the birds and insects that will use them for food and shelter.

RIPWalter · 25/07/2022 07:56

SweatyChamoisPad · 25/07/2022 07:47

These exist??? Do you have a link.

I have these ones but i don't think there is a UK importer any more
cerise.lv/en/products/dungaree-special-garden-garden-girl-denim/

I have used the company for other clothes before and they seem good, and will likely be what I but to replace my currently ones at some point
www.engelbert-strauss.co.uk/bib-and-braces/bib-brace-e-s-image-33203647-63410-76.html?ItemOrigin=SEARCH