There is so much satisfaction when you watch the plants that you took care of grow a new leaf or flower. It does not matter if you have a big garden or just a few pots on the balcony or near the kitchen window. Even a small plot in the backyard can become your pride and joy. The only challenging thing is understanding what you should do to make your plants thrive. As a newbie gardener, you may be overwhelmed with all the different fertilizers, the specific watering regime, and costly equipment. Meanwhile, the plants need a particular climate, high-quality soil and proper watering. The good news is that you do not need to become an expert botanist to grow plants. These handy tips for beginners will help you master the art of gardening and eliminate the stress caused by the fear of killing your plants. Don’t Try to Grow Everything at Once There is an easy way to overwhelm yourself with plants. Walk into a garden center, take a breath and notice the various types of plants in front of you. Flowers, herbs, vegetables and beautiful houseplants fill the shelves, and suddenly you find yourself with ten plants and not enough time to care for them. Start small. Three or four plants is a good way to begin. This lets you figure out what your soil drains like, what light your plants receive and how they react to the shifting seasons. From these baby gardens, you can always expand. Look at Your Space Before Buying Plants Chances are, you bought your plants based on where you’re growing them. Do a bit of research before making a trip to the garden center. Does the area where your plants will be placed receive morning sunlight? Afternoon? Is it shaded by structures or buildings? A plant that thrives in a sunny patch could feel suffocated in a darker spot, and one used to partial shade may be stunned by prolonged exposure to sunlight. If you’re not sure, take photos of the area at different times of day to get a clearer idea. Read the Plant Label A lot of useful information can be found on the plant’s label, like whether it favors sunny or shady conditions, how big the plant will grow and (for some plants) how often they need watering. This keeps you from purchasing a plant that is much too large for your space. You might also want to consider the plant’s mature size, as well. While it may grow to be a small, slender plant. Some varieties grow much larger than others, so take the plant’s mature size into account and avoid overcrowding your garden when it comes time to transplant. Don’t Treat Every Plant the Same You might think all your plants should receive the same care, but it doesn’t account for different water and sunlight needs. Plants have various water and sunlight needs based on their species. Don’t water all your plants simply because you watered them yesterday – ask yourself whether this individual plant might need additional moisture. A quick and painless way to determine this is to put your finger into the ground; if the top bit of soil is dry and the plant’s specifications call for watering, it’s probably a good idea to do so. If the soil is still clearly moist after a gentle poke, however, it might not be necessary to use up water that could last for days. You can take this concept and apply it to watering the plant in general; water the ground more often than the plant’s leaves. Make sure that the pot you’ve chosen for the plant allows moisture to drain from the bottom. Water the Soil, Not Just the Leaves When watering outdoor plants, pay close attention to pouring the water onto the soil instead of your plant’s leaves. Hosing your indoor plants down is a good way to mist your fingers but won’t necessarily water the plant at the roots. Make sure the trickle of water is slow enough for the ground to soak it up. Allow the water to escape from the pot or planter to avoid retaining too much moisture. The truth about watering plants calls for more flexibility than sticking to a strict watering schedule, as both the time spent soaking your plants’ roots and the frequency with which you do so depends on several factors. The temperature and weather patterns in your area change the ways in which you care for your plants, as some may need more frequent watering during the hotter months and less over the cooler months, depending on the season. Good Drainage Can Save a Plant You might think you have everything your plant needs for healthy growth – rich soil, bright sunlight hours and a happy little plant. But there’s one component to plant growth that most people tend to ignore: the plant’s drainage needs. Poor drainage can stress out your plant, especially if the ground or pot is retaining too much water . In containers, bad drainage is often caused by a failure to use a pot that has draining holes in the bottom. When shopping for pots, make sure that there are holes at the bottom of the container, or place the smaller pot inside of the larger, more decorative one. Don’t Ignore the Soil Having a happy growing medium is crucial to almost any plant’s health. When it comes to container plants, most people would do well to invest in a high-yield potting mix over densely packed potting soil. Plants also tend to have varying preferences for growth mediums; mix it up a bit or stick with what the plant needs When it comes to an outside garden, it’s perfectly fine to aerate the soil with compost and other organic matter to keep the nutrients coming. There’s really no need to completely overhaul the soil unless there’s a specific reason to do so. You don’t need to turn soil amendments into science experiments; simply make sure it drains reasonably well and gives your plant’s roots enough breathing room. Spend a Few Minutes Looking at Your Plants You know the signs of an unhealthy plant when you see them. You can also prevent many plant problems by regularly inspecting your plants to find problems early. When you pass by the plant, take a minute or two to see whether there are any bugs on the undersides of leaves, if the leaves have begun to curl inwards or stunt new growth or if there are uncharacteristic spots sprouting up on the leaves. You may not be able to detect a new garden pest at first glance. If you know what the plant normally looks like, you can tell if something new might be happening. If you do see signs of infection or infestation, snap a photo of it to have on hand when dealing with the issue. Treating plants without knowing what’s affecting them can do more harm than good. Make sure you address the problem at hand rather than simply reaching for the nearest plant medication. Remove Dead and Damaged Growth Your plant’s leaves don’t have to be picture-perfect. Taking out the clearly dead or damaged leaves keeps your garden free of clutter and makes it easier to spot new issues. When trimming, be sure to use sharp gardening shears or scissors to prevent harming the plant more than necessary but aren’t going to cut off massive portions of growth just for the sake of trimming – there’s a point at which you’re removing plant materials faster than it can generate new ones. Many plants also have special seasons for pruning; take the time to review the special care needs of your plant to avoid cutting back at an undesirable time. Keep a Simple Gardening Routine You may want to dedicate hours and hours to your plants, but it might not be necessary. Once or twice weekly is usually a healthy schedule to check plants’ soil and leaves for any new issues that might need addressing, though container plants may want more frequent maintenance during hot weather. It’s also a good idea to write down what you did when caring for your plant or simply keep a note on your phone regarding the plant’s needs. This way, if a particular garden plant becomes more productive or hardy for you, you’ll remember where you bought it, especially if you’re planning on growing more of the same species. As time goes on, you’ll find yourself growing conditioned to the routines of the plants in your care. Some Plants Are Easier to Start With If you’re brand new to gardening, consider buying plants that are well-suited for your climate and space. Herbs like mint and basil are a good start for many newer gardeners, while marigolds bring color to outside gardens and aloe vera thrives in indoor conditions. Pothos and snake plants are also popular choices for people looking for plants that require minimal care for a houseplant. There’s nothing entirely low-maintenance when it comes to living plants. A few easy gardening pitfalls to avoid include over-watering your houseplants, not providing enough light for the plant to thrive, overcrowding your growing space, purchasing plants in pots that are too small, over-fertilizing the plants in your care and not paying enough attention to the changing seasons. What If a Plant Starts Looking Unhealthy? Instead of discarding a plant that has begun to look unhealthy, take the time to inspect the plant and determine why. Has the plant been moved, or has the weather pattern recently changed? Has the ground been unusually damp or dry around the plant? Take a few days to observe the plant’s condition before making any drastic changes to its care. If you move the plant, increase the frequency of watering and add fertilizer all at the same time, you won’t know which adjustments have hurt the plant more than helped. Adjust its care in small ways rather than great overhauls when attempting to diagnose the issue. Gardening Gets Easier With Experience The first few weeks of gardening will most likely result in trial and error. Though it’s easy to over-water, forget about a plant entirely, or find that a particular kind of growing medium simply doesn’t work as well for a specific species of plant. There is also value in learning from your mistakes – perhaps the plant’s preferred sunlight level was too harsh for the corner that it was in. You might try a new plant that has better drainage needs the next time you consider expanding your collection. Final Thoughts You don’t need an entire ecosystem to become a gardener, and a few plants to start with can keep you busy for several growing seasons. Learn about your plants and let them tell you what they need. Look at the quality of the ground they’re in before watering and avoid large pots when buying houseplants. Give your plants appropriate sunlight and resist the urge to change what’s going on in the garden just because you think it should be different. Frequently Asked Questions What is the easiest way to start gardening? Buy a couple plants that will have success in your climate and available space. Learn about their sunlight and watering needs before seeking out more plants. How do I know when my plant needs water? Instead of basing decisions on how many days have passed since the plant was last watered, check the moisture of the soil itself. If the plant requires water and the surface of the soil appears to be dry, it’s probably a good idea to water. If it’s still clearly moist, you could wait for another day or two before doing so. Can I grow plants in pots? Yes, many plants can be successfully grown in containers as long as the container is large enough to give roots breathing room and the plant’s drainage needs are taken into account. Why are my plant leaves turning yellow? Yellow leaves can be the result of watering issues, aging leaves being shed by the plant, inappropriate growing conditions like too little or too much sunlight, nutrient insufficiencies or other root ailments. Look at the plant as a whole before assuming that a specific solution will fix the issue. Do beginner gardeners need expensive tools? No, a small amount of equipment goes a long way in the first few months of gardening. A trowel, pruning scissors, gloves and a watering can are enough to get started. How many plants should I start with? Beginners have different starting points. Three or four plants is an easy way to start out rather than jumping headfirst into a larger garden that’s more difficult to care for as the plants grow. 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