Steps for first time gardeners

For any hobby, you need some supplies…

Here’s a list to give you what you need to get started. Add more things as you gain confidence:

• Garden spade

• 3-prong garden trowel

• Garden clippers. Invest in a good pair!

• Small rake, preferably without a handle, to get into tiny parts of your flower bed

• Regular rake

• A shovel (rounded edge)

• Regular spade (like a shovel, but with a flat edge)

• Gardening gloves

• A sheet of plastic or fabric measuring about 8 x 8 feet. This is ideal for easy clean-up after re-potting, etc.

• A large waterproof bucket, tote or box for storing all your tools/supplies

• Garden hose

• Garden sprayer to attach to hose; ideally with multiple spray functions

• Notebook, pencil, post-its, and waterproof folder. Pick a letter size envelope to store plant tags and receipts.

Once you’ve gotten all your gear together, it’s thyme to determine where you want to plant and why. I suggest starting with a small area, maybe with a focal point in mind, like a wheelbarrow, with perennial flowers around it.

Ideally, it’s a good idea to watch the weather. Planting right before a nice rain is a great way to give your plantings a nice start.

Rainwater frees up nutrients and minerals in the soil, vital to a plant’s survival. As the soil absorbs rainwater. The roots absorb these particles in a process called diffusion. With each rain, nutrients are carried to the rest of the plant.