Our Blogs

21 Basic Gardening Tips that no one told you

• Bratati

Before reading this, you must have watched so many channels and noted lot of gardening tips. But please let me tell you, there is no ONE thing for gardening that works for all.

India has diverse climate zones, so our mother earth has different temperature, rainfall, humidity etc., how gardening can be the same when this is so much dependent on climate, seasons, soil quality etc etc.
 

1 Understand Your Climate
Carefully notice your climate. it's crucial to know your specific region's climate and then chose the  plant accordingly. 
 

2 How much time you have

Few plants need continuous attention. Check with yourself, how much time you have everyday. Plan accordingly. You can not keep a nagging plant if you re working professional and have less time to drink water yourself, forget plants.
 

3 Choose Native Plants:
To start gardening, or even when you have graduated in gardening, it is difficult to save exotic plants. Native plants are well-adapted to local conditions and require less care maintenance. They give you confidence to perfect your gardening.

4 Sunlight
Most important deciding factor in gardening. How much sunlight is available at the chosen area. Thumb rule is, flowers does not survive without sunlight. There is no plant that can survive in the dark indoor.

Note it, how many hours of sunlight exactly the place get. Plan your plants accordingly. No emotions please. The plant you like may not like your climate.
 

5 Water Wisely
More plants die out of over watering than less watering. OVer watering is one of the most important reason of yellowing of leaves and less growth. Be mindful of water usage. Water your plants early in the morning or late in the evening to minimize evaporation.

 6 Check your soil

pH level of soil - which means your soil is acidic or alkaline, knowing that is important. So, randomly donot use tea water, calcium carbonate etc as they might harm more than help.
assess soil texture (sandy, loamy, or clay) to understand drainage and water-holding capacity. Your soil must not hold water for long time, so no stickiness.

Chose and mix your garden soil according to the plant you have chosen to grow. There is no single soil that works for all. 

7 Chose planter wisely

Check yourself, are you going to plant in pot ? or you are planting on a piece of land. Both are different. While choosing planter forget the looks, chose according to temperature and where you are actually going to keep the planter.  Which planters to use for gardening is important.
 

8 Start with easily surviving plants.

Never buy expensive plants just because they are looking beautiful, and you don't know their care so when they die you will face a great disappointment
Buy plants that need less maintenance to begin with. Snake plant, Devil's bone, Aloevera, Mother of thousands, Maxican pitunia, Difenbecia etc. Have less plants so that you can concentrate on them. Slowly learn about them and then expand later. Money plant, Snake plant, Bougainvillea, Syngoniums, Ficus, Ashoka are also low maintenance
 

9 Donot repot immediately

When you bring a plant from nursery don't repot immediately. Wait for atleast a week for the plant to get settled and familiar to new place

10 Go slow

Go slow, don't rush, no impulsive shopping, don't be too excited for nothing, take small steps....study the climate and weather you are located in and buy accordingly so that plants don't die. Avoid  buying too many plants from other zones, buy from local nurseries and while buying pen down the tips from the nursery wallahs. Don't try to do everything at once...grow as a gardener/ plant person one level at a time.

11 Mulch Your Soil:
Mulching helps retain soil moisture, reduce weeds, and regulate soil temperature. Use organic mulch like compost or straw.

12 Compost Kitchen Waste
Start a compost pile or bin for your kitchen scraps. Compost enriches the soil and reduces the need for chemical fertilizers.

13 Prune Regularly
Pruning encourages healthy growth and helps plants maintain their shape. Trim dead or overgrown branches to improve air circulation.

14 Collect Rainwater: Set up rain barrels or containers to collect rainwater. It's an eco-friendly way to water your plants and save on water bills.

15 Pest Management
Use natural and organic methods for pest control, such as neem oil or introducing beneficial insects like ladybugs. Few plants like hibiscus are prone to mealy bugs, stay aware and consider organic ways to treat them

16 Fertilize Carefully
Use organic fertilizers like compost or well-rotted cow dung. Avoid over-fertilization, which can harm plants and the environment.

17 Seasonal Planting: Plant vegetables and flowers according to the seasons. Different crops thrive in different times of the year, so plan your garden accordingly.

18 Spacing is Important: Give your plants enough space to grow. Crowding them can lead to competition for nutrients and hinder their development.

19 Stay Organic

Avoid chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Instead, use organic alternatives to keep your garden free from harmful chemicals. Learn various ways of Organic gardening 

20 Garden Maintenance
Regularly check for signs of disease or pest infestation. Clean and sterilize your gardening tools to prevent the spread of pathogens.

21 No one is expert
Gardening is a diverse field with numerous plant species and conditions, making it impossible for anyone to be an expert in every aspect.

Environmental factors, weather variations, and the evolving science of gardening constantly challenge even experienced gardeners.

Gardening is a lifelong learning journey, and new discoveries and challenges emerge, ensuring that there's always more to discover and master. If you donot know, that’s fine. No one knows everything of gardening.

Keep experimenting with different techniques and plant varieties is part of the fun. Happy gardening