
In lieu of parenting, many millennials have turned to taking care of plants to showcase their nurturing side. With the high costs associated with childbirth and child rearing, it’s not surprising research has revealed more millennials and young people prefer gardening instead.
In 2020, during the height of the pandemic, many people, not just millennials, turned to gardening as a way to maintain their mental health and develop positive emotions.
Even now with the world opening up again thanks to vaccination programs and the efforts healthcare workers, plenty of people are taking up plant care as a hobby.
If you are interested in becoming a gardener or maintaining a patch of plants, here are a few tips and tricks you should keep in mind.
Gardening is more complicated than you think and it will take more than just a watering can and a trowel to keep your plants happy, healthy and alive. Unless you are only taking care of a few small succulents on your window ledge, you will need to invest in some great equipment.
For example, excellent electric lawn mowers and a selection of spades and trowels are necessary if you are gardening your yard. Even when you are indoor gardening, odds are you will need to get some gadgets to help keep your plants alive. For example, if you routinely leave your apartment or home during the day, you may want to buy an automated watering machine for your plants to make sure they don’t get parched while you are away.
Sometimes newbie gardeners rush to the nearest plant nursery and buy the prettiest or most photogenic plant on sale without doing their research. Don’t engage in such irresponsible behavior since all you’ll do is waste money and possibly kill a poor plant.
You must consider what plants you’re getting for your garden or window box carefully. Sure, planting an avocado tree may seem like it will yield you your favorite breakfast food, but do you have the room in your yard for it? Is the soil acidity the correct level for such a tree to thrive? Will your schedule and budget permit you to take care of the tree effectively?
If you are a beginner gardener, stick to plants that are easy to take care of such as succulents and small herbs you can confine to a single pot or window box.
Gardening takes time, not just in a bigger picture scale but also on a day-to-day basis. Even fussing over a couple of potted plants can take a few minutes out of your day, especially if you are carefully screening them for signs of disease. This won’t take you more than half an hour if you live in an apartment or shared residence and only gardening a window box or potted plants.
But if you’re attempting to nurture an entire garden or backyard, you need to factor it into your schedule. The size of your garden dictates how much time you will probably need to take care of it. If your garden is between 200 and 400 square feet, you won’t need more than an hour or two every week, depending on how many plants you have.
On the other hand, a garden that’s between 800 and 1,500 square feet in area will need up to six hours every week.
When you’re beginning your journey as a gardener, it’s easy to choose aesthetics over practicality. Too often people will pick plants that are showy and display-worthy rather than simpler but still beautiful options. The problem is too often these showy plants don’t belong in the environment you plant to put them in.
Foreign plant species can be dangerous to the environment because they lack animals that could control their spread. They could also choke out the native plant life, throwing the entire ecosystem into chaos. Native gardening refers to using plants that occur naturally in your area instead. This practice is cheaper and eco-friendlier because these plants don’t need as much fertilizer since they’re already adapted to the soil conditions. They also help preserve the biodiversity of the area. So when choosing plants, always use native species first to protect your area’s animal and plant life.
Finally, you must protect yourself, particularly your hands, when gardening, The hobby involves a lot sharp object, from pruning shears to trowels, that could easily cause injuries. This is why thick, padded gardening gloves are part of every kit.
Aside from your hands, don’t forget to protect yourself from the sun with sunscreen, a large hat or a neckerchief. This will minimize the risk of sunburns or even skin cancer, especially if you have a large outdoor garden.
Gardening can be a very rewarding activity, and it’s no wonder why many people enjoy it as a hobby. These tips will ensure that your green thumb and your plants both get the nourishment they need.