As the sun starts to shine and the weather gets warmer, gardening tools start to head out.  Gardening is a great way to connect with nature, but it may seem difficult to take care of so many plants. So here are some easy tips to make your garden flourish. 

How to plant

There are three key factors in gardening: Dirt, water and sunlight. But you can’t just use regular rough dirt because it might be too tough for the seeds to grow and lack nutrients. Head over to your local hardware store and buy some potting soil. This is a special type of soil that has nutrients and is the right texture to help plants grow. When putting a seed into dirt, put it about a finger length down so it has room to grow. Different types of plants need different amounts of water. Make sure to read the back of a seed packet or look online to know how often you should water your plants. Under-watering and over-watering can kill the plant so you want to make sure to do it just the right amount. Lastly, plant in a well lit area that is not too cloudy or too shady. Sunlight gives plants energy for them to grow, so it is extremely important for them to be in a sunny and bright area. Gardening can be very easy and fun as long as you keep these basic tips in mind. 

Taking care of plants

Taking care of plants can seem very overwhelming. Plants are very fragile, but as long as you keep a good routine, they will thrive. Many people forget to water their plants. A good way to remember is to set an alarm on your phone to remind yourself to water your plants. If it rains, then they do not need to be watered that day. While you are out watering, check for weeds. These get in the way of your plants growing, and it’s important to remove them as soon as possible. When removing them, make sure to get their roots otherwise they will grow back. 

Transferring

Just like Goldilocks, plants need to be in the right size pot. If the container is too small, then the plant can’t fully grow and will die. But if they are too big of one then there is risk of the roots rotting. One way to prevent plants from dying is to start them off in a smaller pot and then transfer them over to a bigger pot or a planter box. Often when seeds are immediately planted into bigger pots, some people see more soil and think they have to water it more. But this actually is drowning the plant and killing it. So by starting it off in a smaller pot, you are able to see how much water it needs, and its roots will grow appropriately. An easy way to do this is saving old egg cartons and turning them into little pots. Just add some soil and one seed per hole and you are all set. When it starts to grow, scoop it up missing no roots and transfer it into a bigger pot. By being in the perfect size pot, the plants have the ability to grow and thrive. 

Protecting from animals

Rabbits, squirrels and many other animals are constantly on the hunt for some food, and gardens are one of the easiest ways for them to get their meals. So to protect your plants, add a small fence or plant covers. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy but instead can be made with chicken wire or plastic mesh. Another way is to use animal decoys such as fake wolves or scarecrows. Many smaller animals will think they are real and will get scared away.

Basic plants

Herbs

There are many different plants that you can grow, and some are much harder to take care of than others. A good way to start out is an herb garden. An herb is a type of plant that is typically used as a seasoning for food or as natural medicine. Common ones to plant are basil, parsley and cilantro. While most plants need to wait to be planted until the warmer months, herb

s can be planted as early as February. They can be planted both inside and outside. To plant them, take a pot and fill it with dirt. If you are forgetful, herbs are the perfect plants to begin with cause they only need to be watered around once a week.

Vegetables

Another basic thing to plant are different vegetables. Easy ones are cucumbers and tomatoes. In a pot or planter box, add multiple holes evenly spaced out and add 1-2 seeds. Cover the holes with dirt and add water. On the back of the seed packets, it normally says the months to best plant them in. It might take a while for the vegetable to show up, so don’t give up. Once they are ripe, they

are perfect and fresh for cooking. 

Flowers

Flowers are an excellent way to make your yard look super cute, and they are fairly easy to take care of. When picking out what flowers you want to plant, you can either choose seed

s or already bloomed flowers. Planting from the seeds is difficult but not impossible. To take care of them, just plant them in soil and water them every day. Sometimes the seeds are not healthy and will not grow though. To guarantee flowers, get the already bloomed ones. You just have to dig a hole and place the flowers with their roots in. Cover the whole with soil around the flowers and make sure

to water them every day. Flowers are a very simple thing to take care of and can make your yard look welcoming.