New Gardener Tips - 3 Plants To Try & 3 To Avoid

Three Plants To Try & Three To Avoid At First

I've had a small garden for about 3 years now and this year I decided to go big. I planted 15 different plants in my garden and I've learned a lot so far. Some of my plants are super easy and thriving, while others failed. Even though some plants weren't successful, they were successful in teaching me valuable lessons for next year. Knowledge is priceless!

The three easiest low maintenance plants that every gardener should try are:

1.) Indeterminate Tomatoes (3-6 plants)

2.) Cucumbers (2-4 plants)

3.) Green Beans (4-6 plants)

These three plants seem to require little intervention, they yield lots of fruit/vegetables, they can all be planted in a garden or large pots, and most people will eat everything these plants produce. If you have a family of 4 and are looking to see how many plants you should get of each type, check next to each option for the recommended amount. If you can only plant a few plants your first year, I'd recommend planting at least 2 of each plant in their own large pots or in your garden with plenty of room (2-3ft apart).

The three plants I tried this year that seem to be very difficult to manage, don't grow well, bolt/go to seed early, or are susceptible to lots of pests/diseases are:

1.) Broccoli

2.) Peas

3.) Carrots

These plants will be great additions to your garden later on but most gardeners learn by trial and error and I think starting with the three above will help you avoid an unpleasant experience this go around.

Here are also 4 tips to keep in mind:

1.) Location Location Location - Make sure you plant in an area that gets the optimal sun/shade for that plant (check the tag), make sure deer and other wildlife can't enjoy your garden before you can (fence), and make sure you plant in fertile well-draining soil. I promise that taking the time to prep your garden (tilling, installing a fence, and fertilizing) a few weeks before your plant will absolutely save you heartache and extra work in the long run.

2.) Water regularly in the morning or at sundown. Avoid watering midday.

3.) Fertilize every 1-2 weeks including when you initially plant.

4.) Follow Your Gut - Do research when something doesn't look right. Look for bugs, holes in leaves, discoloration, or any change that starts to make the plants look different than how you'd purchase them in the grocery store.

Your garden changes daily, so it's a good idea check up on it every day so you can intervene asap if needed.

I hope this list will encourage you to try your hand at gardening. Let me know in the comments if you tried any of the plants above and how it went.

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