By Nikki Tilley
last updated
If this is your first time gardening, what to plant and how to start are undoubtedly making you anxious. While Gardening Know How has plenty of beginner gardening tips and answers to many of your gardening questions, where to begin searching is yet another intimidating roadblock. For this reason, we have compiled “A Beginner’s Guide to Gardening,” with a list of popular articles for starting a garden at home. Don’t be intimidated by the thought of gardening – get excited about it instead.
Big space, small space, or not much at all, we’re here to help. Let’s dig in and get started!
How to Get Started with Gardening
Starting a garden at home for the first time begins with learning more about your specific region and growing zone.
- Importance of Regional Gardening Zones
- USDA Planting Zone Map
- Hardiness Zone Converter
Other factors to consider include your available garden space (it helps to start small and expand as your knowledge and confidence grows), what types of plants you’d like to grow, your current soil conditions, your light conditions and, of course, some basic garden terminology helps.
Every gardener needs tools for the trade, but start with the basics. You may already have what you need to get started, and you can always add more to the tool shed as your garden grows.
- Beginner Gardener Tools
- Must Have Gardening Tools
- What Shovel Do You Need for Gardening
- Garden Trowel Information
- Different Garden Hoes
- Best Gloves for Gardening
- Do I Need a Bulb Planter
- Hand Pruners for Gardening
- Keeping a Garden Journal
- Container Gardening Supplies
- Choosing Containers for Gardening
Understanding Common Gardening Terms
While we strive to provide easy-to-understand info, we realize that not everyone new to gardening knows what certain gardening terms mean. Beginner gardening tips aren’t always helpful if you’re confused about such terms.
- Plant Care Abbreviations
- Nursery Plant Pot Sizes
- Seed Packet Information
- What is an Annual Plant
- Tender Perennial Plants
- What is a Perennial
- What Does Biennial Mean
- What is Full Sun
- Are Part Sun Part Shade the Same
- What is Partial Shade
- Exactly What is Full Shade
- Pinching Back Plants
- What is Deadheading
- What is Old Wood and New Wood in Pruning
- What Does “Well Established” Mean
- What is an Organic Garden
Soil for Gardens
- What Soil is Made of and How to Amend Soil
- What is Well Draining Soil
- What is Garden Soil
- Soil for Outdoor Containers
- Soilless Growing Mediums
- Testing Garden Soil
- Taking a Soil Texture Jar Test
- Garden Soil Preparation: Improving Garden Soil
- What is Soil Temperature
- Determining if Soil is Frozen
- What Does Well Drained Soil Mean
- Checking Soil Drainage
- Tilling Garden Soil
- How to Till Soil by Hand (Double Digging)
- What is Soil pH
- Fixing Acidic Soil
- Fixing Alkaline Soil
Fertilizing the Garden
- NPK: What Do Numbers on Fertilizer Mean
- Balanced Fertilizer Information
- What is Slow Release Fertilizer
- What are Organic Fertilizers
- When to Fertilize Plants
- Feeding Potted Garden Plants
- Benefits of Composted Manure
- How to Start Compost for Gardens
- What is Brown and Green Material for Compost
- Organic Material for Gardens
Plant Propagation
- What is Plant Propagation
- Different Types of Bulbs
- Best Time to Start Seeds
- Seed Germination Requirements
- How to Soak Seeds Before Planting
- What is Seed Stratification
- Caring for Seedlings After Germination
- How Many Seeds Should I Plant Per Hole
- When and How to Transplant Seedlings
- How to Harden Off Seedlings
- How to Start Plants from Cuttings
- What is a Root Ball
- What is a Plant Pup
- What is Rootstock
- What is a Scion
- How to Divide Plants
Gardening for Beginners – the Basics
- Great Reasons to Start Gardening
- Simple Gardening Ideas for Beginners
- What Do Healthy Roots Look Like
- Basic Tips for Indoor Houseplant Care
- What is a Succulent Plant
- Windowsill Gardening for Beginners
- Starting an Herb Garden
- Vegetable Gardening Tips for Beginners – we also have a Beginner’s Guide for this too
- How to Determine Last Frost Date
- How to Grow Vegetable with Seeds
- How and When to Start Herb Seeds
- How to Thin Seedling Plants
- How to Build Raised Vegetable Beds
- Growing Vegetables in Containers
- How to Plant a Bare Root Plant
- How to Start a Flower Garden
- How to Build a Flower Bed
- How Deep to Plant Bulbs
- What Direction to Plant Bulbs
- Xeriscape Gardening for Beginners
Mulching the Garden
- How To Choose Garden Mulch
- Applying Garden Mulch
- Organic Garden Mulch
- What is Inorganic Mulch
Watering the Garden
- Watering New Plants: What Does it Mean to Water Well
- Guide to Watering Flowers
- How and When to Water the Garden
- Watering Vegetable Gardens
- Heat Wave Watering Guide
- Container Plant Watering
Issues in the Garden
- What is Organic Herbicide
- Homemade Soap Spray
- What is Neem Oil
Getting started with gardening shouldn’t be a frustrating endeavor. Remember to start small and work your way up. Begin with a few potted veggies, for instance, or plant some flowers. Don’t forget the old saying, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” Even the most experienced gardeners have faced challenges and loss at some point (many of us still do). In the end, your persistence will be rewarded with beautiful flowering plants and tasty produce.
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