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These 50 gardening rules for green thumb, do’s and don’t’s, tips & tricks can make all the difference and help you become a gardener with a GREEN THUMB! Whether you are a beginner or an expert, please read and implement all these 50 rules and be a successful gardener!
Gardening Needs Patience
Gardening takes time to master. Plants take time to blossom, cuttings take time to root, and seeds take time to germinate. Not every plant will be a winner for you! Do not give up if you fail or if your plant dies.
Go Scientific
Always gain the right knowledge on plant care tips. Beware of unscientific shortcuts, gardening hacks, and fertilizers seen on the internet. Use your common sense and reasoning before jumping into some nonsensical tips.
The Surest Way to Kill a Plant
Apart from over-watering or under-watering, the biggest killer is over-caring a plant! Too much is too bad!
Don’t Get Upset When a Plant Dies
It’s not failure—it’s an opportunity to learn from your mistakes.
Thumb Rule for Watering
Over-watering is one of the biggest killers! Use the finger dip method to check for moisture: dip an inch of your finger into the soil and water only if it’s dry.
Sunlight Requirements
The most common reason plants fail to bloom is not enough sun. Most flowering and fruiting plants need at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight a day.
Wilted Plants in Hot Sun
Many plants wilt in the hot sun, even if the soil is moist. Do not water them just because they appear wilted. Examine your plants early in the morning when it’s cooler, and if they are still wilted, water them!
Attracting Butterflies
Butterflies are the most beautiful visitors to your garden. Attract them by planting their favorites like butterfly bush, zinnia, lantana, marigold, salvia, pentas, firebush, and other plants.
Encourage Beneficial Insects
Encourage beneficial insects and pollinators like butterflies and honey bees in your garden. Do not use powerful chemical pesticides on your plants, as they can kill beneficial insects!
Avoid Wetting Leaves
Avoid wetting the leaves when you water. Wet foliage encourages disease and fungus in most plants.
Invest in a Good Garden Hose
A kinked garden hose is a waste of time and energy. Invest in a good quality garden hose for peace of mind!
Sunlight for Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetable plants need full sunlight of at least 6 to 8 hours, while leafy greens can be grown in partial sun or indirect bright light in shady spots.
True Gardener’s Gift
You know you’re a true gardener if you accept a gift of cow dung manure and feel happy on your birthday or similar occasion!
Neem Oil as an Organic Pesticide
Neem oil is the best and safest organic pesticide to get rid of many pests and diseases in your garden.
Say No to Chemicals
For treating a pest-affected plant, always start with the least toxic option like neem oil or plain soap water. Use more potent options only as a last resort. You can make a more potent organic pesticide by mixing neem oil with other oils like clove oil and eucalyptus oil.
Avoid Overdosing Chemical Fertilizers
You could burn your plants or even lose them if you apply an overdose of chemical fertilizers like NPK, DAP, or urea. Organic fertilizers like cow dung compost or vermicompost are much safer.
Prepare a Garden Maintenance Schedule
Create a garden maintenance schedule or timetable with reminders for tasks like watering, pruning, fertilizing, and pest control to keep your plants healthy.
Grouping Plants for Better Maintenance
Group plants of similar family for better maintenance, such as succulents and cacti, which need watering once or twice a week. Water-loving plants, flowering plants, and shade-loving plants should all be grouped separately.
Choose the Right Plant for the Right Location
Select plants based on their sunlight requirements, such as sun-loving or flowering plants and shade-loving plants. This is another aspect of grouping plants.
Soil is the King
Your garden will only be as good as your soil. Take your time to prepare the best potting mix with the right proportions of soil, compost, and other ingredients.
Focus on Prevention
Focus on preventing diseases and problems rather than curing them. Prevention is better than cure. Even if your plants are pest-free, spray a pesticide like neem oil at least once a fortnight.
Remove Weeds Regularly
Make it a habit to remove weeds and other unwanted plants at least once a week.
Top Soil Raking or Tilling
Perform top soil raking or tilling once every 15 days or at least once a month to improve soil aeration.
Fertilize While Tilling
Fertilize your plants at the same time you till or rake the top soil. A handful of organic fertilizer like decomposed cow dung powder or vermicompost can keep your plants healthy.
Know Your Plant
Know your plant by its name and family. This is important to learn about its requirements, such as water, sunlight, and fertilizers. Use plant identification apps like PictureThis or Google Lens to identify plants.
Soil pH and Temperature
Soil pH and temperature are important. Make sure you have a simple soil pH and moisture meter and a soil thermometer. Learn about the ideal soil pH for your plants and ways to alter it.
Soak Your Seeds
Most seeds benefit from pre-soaking and germinate faster. Soak them for several hours or overnight in room-temperature water before sowing.
Use Gardening Protection
Always use gardening protection where applicable, like gloves while handling potting mix and cacti, and wear a mask while applying pesticides.
Pruning or Trimming Plants
Pruning or trimming plants is important. Know the best time to prune your plant, which is typically at the end of its dormancy period, usually late winter or early spring. Trim your plants to make them bushier and increase flowering and fruiting.
Keep Your Garden Clean
Keep your garden clean and avoid water stagnation to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes and other harmful insects. After all, health is wealth!
Rule of Thumb for Watering
Generally, it’s better to water less frequently but thoroughly until the water drains out of the drainage holes, rather than watering more frequently with small sips of water.
Cloning Plants
For cloning your favorite plant and growing its cuttings, always make a sharp cut at a 45-degree angle half an inch below a node with a clean cutting tool.
Container Selection
Choose the right size and type of container for your plants. Use clay and cement planters for full sunlight and plastic or other containers for shade or indoor use.
Use Organic Fertilizers
Use organic fertilizers instead of chemical ones. You can mix various fertilizers like cow dung powder, vermicompost, neem cake powder, and bone meal powder to offer the best nutrients to your plants.
Purchase Quality Seeds
When purchasing seeds, opt for F1 or F2 hybrid seeds and heirloom seeds for the best results.
Inspect Nursery Plants
When buying plants from a nursery, examine them for pests. One infected plant can spread pests to your entire garden.
Repotting Potted Plants
Repot your potted plants into a larger container once every 1 or 2 years.
Reuse Old Potting Soil
You can reuse old potting soil by removing roots and other debris and adding fresh compost.
Check Drainage Holes
Always check the patency of the drainage holes, especially before the rainy season. If water is not flowing out, use a sharp tool to clear the holes.
Keep Ants Away
Keep ants away from your garden, as they can carry sucking pests like aphids and mealybugs to the growing tips of plants. Use remedies like borax powder or diatomaceous earth to get rid of ants.
Avoid Saw Dust in Potting Mix
Never mix sawdust or any raw stuff into your potting mix, as this can cause nitrogen deficiency in your plants. Sawdust steals nitrogen from the soil during decomposition.
Protect Earthworms
Do not kill earthworms in your soil or containers. They are your garden’s best friends and help make the soil fertile.
Install a Shade Net
Install a shade net for your plants in the summer season to protect them from the scorching sun.
Gardening Benefits
Gardening keeps you healthy and is a cure for depression, anxiety, and many other diseases.
Interpreting Leaf Issues
Learn to interpret leaf yellowing and browning at tips and edges. Do not panic! Know the reason and treat accordingly. Check out all related video links below.
Interpreting Leaf Curling
Learn to interpret leaf curling, such as upward curl, downward curl, or curl due to pests, and treat accordingly.
Sow Seeds in the Right Season
Sow the right seeds in the right season, such as summer or winter vegetables and flowers. Use a garden planner software or search online for the right zone for your region.
Grow Plants Faster
Grow plants faster and healthier using air pruning pots, fabric grow bags, and coco coir pots.
Work Smart
Use sensible gardening shortcuts and hacks to save time and achieve success. Please watch these 100 gardening hacks and shortcuts from the links below.
RELATED VIDEOS:
100 BEST GARDEN HACKS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILDnpeCELeY
BEST LIQUID FERTILZIER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf_0OjYHklU
GET 500% MORE FLOWERS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDIYZci5w2k
LEAF YELLOWING DIAGNOSIS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ullQwnB6ms
LEAF CURLING DIAGNOSIS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz1Uk9GYrQI
RULES OF CLONING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLvgE6ouNBA
SAW DUST IN GARDENING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=262FSISLHAE
GARDENING SHOCKING QUESTIONS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDbr7MQNNIk&list=PLvE-WOB38X7blmKGKN6G9lFGQHjSvStg7
