Gardening for Beginners

Gardening for Beginners

Starting Small with Gardening

Choose a manageable space
Select plants suitable for your climate and soil. Starting small sets you up for success as a beginner gardener by providing a manageable, low-pressure environment to learn and grow your skills. As you gain confidence and experience, you can gradually expand your garden and take on new challenges, knowing that you have a solid foundation to build upon

What do you already know about starting a garden?

Choosing the Right Plants for Your Garden

Consider climate and soil suitability
Select plants that thrive in your area.

Perennials:

Daylilies: These colorful flowers are hardy and can tolerate 

various conditions.

Black-Eyed Susans: Bright yellow blooms that attract pollinators.

Coneflowers (Echinacea): Drought-tolerant and great for sunny spots.

Hostas: Shade-loving plants with attractive foliage.

Vegetables (if you’re interested in growing edibles)

Lettuce: A versatile leafy green that grows well in most gardens.

Green Beans: Fix nitrogen in the soil and grow even in poor conditions.

Peas: Plant them early in spring for a tasty harvest.

Radishes and Carrots: Quick-growing root vegetables.

Understanding the Importance of Location and Sunlight

Choose a location with 6-8 hours of sunlight
Ensure proper sunlight for plant growth

Preparing the Soil for Planting

Use compost to enrich the soil
Ensure proper drainage and nutrients

Watering Techniques for Plants

Water plants appropriately
Implement an effective watering schedule

Weeding to Promote Plant Health

Regularly remove weeds
Prevent competition for resources

Mulching to Retain Soil Moisture and Suppress Weeds

Apply mulch for moisture retention
Suppress weed growth

Managing Pests and Diseases in the Garden

Monitor for pests and diseases
Promptly manage any issues

Pruning and Deadheading for Plant Growth

Prune and deadhead for healthy growth
Encourage further blooming

Learning from Mistakes and Enjoying Gardening

Understand that mistakes are part of the learning process
Practice patience and enjoy the journey

Definition List

Deadheading: The process of removing dead flowers from a plant to encourage further blooming.
Mulching: The application of material over the soil surface to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature.
Pruning: Trimming back overgrown plants to promote healthy growth and maintain plant shape.
Weeding: The act of removing unwanted plants (weeds) that compete with cultivated plants for resources.

Exercise: Container Herb Garden

Objective: To create a small container herb garden suitable for beginners.

Materials Needed:

Containers (pots, planters, or even recycled containers with drainage holes)

Potting soil

Herb plants (such as basil, parsley, mint, rosemary, thyme, or cilantro)

Watering can or hose with a gentle spray nozzle

Steps:

Select Containers: Choose containers that are at least 6-8 inches deep and have drainage holes at the bottom. You can use individual pots or a larger planter with multiple compartments.

Prepare Containers: Fill the containers with potting soil, leaving about an inch of space below the rim for watering.

Choose Herbs: Select your favorite herbs to plant. Consider factors like sunlight requirements and growth habits. For example, herbs like basil and parsley prefer full sun, while mint and cilantro can tolerate partial shade.

Planting: Gently remove the herb plants from their nursery pots and loosen the roots if they're tightly bound. Dig a small hole in the soil of the container and place the herb plant in it. Fill the hole with soil and gently pat it down around the plant to secure it.

Watering: After planting, water the herbs thoroughly until water drains out of the bottom of the container. Check the moisture level of the soil regularly and water when the top inch of soil feels dry.

Placement: Place the containers in a location that receives adequate sunlight according to the needs of the herbs you've chosen. Most herbs prefer at least 6-8 hours of sunlight per day.

Maintenance: Keep an eye on your container herb garden and monitor for signs of pests, diseases, or nutrient deficiencies. Pinch off any flowers that appear on the herbs to encourage leaf growth. You can also apply a layer of mulch around the plants to help retain soil moisture and suppress weeds.

Harvesting: As your herbs grow, you can start harvesting them for culinary use. Use sharp scissors or pruning shears to snip off leaves as needed, taking care not to remove more than one-third of the plant at a time.

Enjoy: Use your homegrown herbs to add flavor to your favorite dishes and enjoy the satisfaction of growing your own food!

STEPS

Select Containers: Choose containers that are at least 6-8 inches deep and have drainage holes at the bottom. You can use individual pots or a larger planter with multiple compartments.

Prepare Containers: Fill the containers with potting soil, leaving about an inch of space below the rim for watering.

Choose Herbs: Select your favourite herbs to plant. Consider factors like sunlight requirements and growth habits. For example, herbs like basil and parsley prefer full sun, while mint and cilantro can tolerate partial shade.

Planting: Gently remove the herb plants from their nursery pots and loosen the roots if they're tightly bound. Dig a small hole in the soil of the container and place the herb plant in it. Fill the hole with soil and gently pat it down around the plant to secure it.

Watering: After planting, water the herbs thoroughly until water drains out of the bottom of the container. Check the moisture level of the soil regularly and water when the top inch of soil feels dry.

Placement: Place the containers in a location that receives adequate sunlight according to the needs of the herbs you've chosen. Most herbs prefer at least 6-8 hours of sunlight per day.

Maintenance: Keep an eye on your container herb garden and monitor for signs of pests, diseases, or nutrient deficiencies. Pinch off any flowers that appear on the herbs to encourage leaf growth. You can also apply a layer of mulch around the plants to help retain soil moisture and suppress weeds.

Harvesting: As your herbs grow, you can start harvesting them for culinary use. Use sharp scissors or pruning shears to snip off leaves as needed, taking care not to remove more than one-third of the plant at a time.

Enjoy: Use your homegrown herbs to add flavor to your favorite dishes and enjoy the satisfaction of growing your own food!

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.