#1 Have Good Timing

Transplanting seedlings often disturbs their roots by damaging the microscopic hairs which are responsible for absorbing water. For this reason, it’s best to transplant in the evening, or when it’s overcast. This gives the plant extra time to re-anchor their roots and repair any damages before the sun hits. Think of it like this:

More sun = more photosynthesis = more water is used up by the plant.

By not planting in the sun, your plants retain more water while the roots have a chance to regain water absorption capacity.

Another part of timing is which date to plant on. This one can be the most confusing since the planting guides on the back of seed packs are usually overly vague because the seed company is selling across the country. Some plants are more flexible, but others depend on correct planting time to thrive. It’s important to consult with local gardeners, local farmer’s almanacs, or the agriculture department of your local university. Here in Florida I previously used the University of Florida’s planting guide as a general rule, but now that I am plugged into the gardening community here, I prefer to rely on the advise of other experienced gardeners.

#2 Let Shade Be Your Friend

Depending on your latitude (how far north or south you are) the angle of light is either more or less intense. If you live in an area that has intense summers, it’s probably not a great idea to follow the seed packet’s recomendations of full sun unless you know for sure the plant is sun loving. When in doubt, keep your plant potted in the shade and slowly move it out to a sunnier spot to test it’s sun tolerance and give it time to adjust.

#3 Ask Yourself, “Water You Doing?”

It’s crazy how many people kill their plants by over-watering them. If your plants are sitting in wet soil and yet their leaves are yellowing, browning, or falling off, you are probably drowning your plants. Some plants like papyrus and cypress love being over-watered, and can help absorb excess water in over-watered areas, but make sure to research your plants ahead of time to be sure. By planting in raised beds or rows, you will give your plants better drainage, more surface area for the roots to absorb water and nutrients, and that usually means happier plants. Even raising the soil level by a few inches can make a ton of difference.

#4 Give Your Dying Plant a Haircut

If your plants are dying in the sun, don’t panic. First try removing a third or two-thirds of the leaves depending on the severity of the plant’s dehydration. Most of the time, within a few hours your plants will regain their posture and look healthy again. Many people make the mistake of over-watering when their plants are struggling. The puddles of water can actually compress the earth making it harder for their roots to re-establish, or even encourage root rot. By trimming excess leaves you limit the amount of photosynthesis your plant is doing, which helps it conserve water. Some plants can quickly drop excess leaves quickly, but many others can benefit from a little help with the trimmer when trying to adjust to a sunny spot.

#5 Be Nice. Plants Need Friends Too.

Thank for afristar foundation created this poster.

Ever look at a plant and feel like it’s lonely? You might actually be right. Plants, like other organisms have developed relationships with other species of plants. Some plants help each other out in symbiotic relationships, while others will actually attack each other with subterranian chemical warfare, or by depriving other species of vital nutrients. With the practice of companion gardening you can take advantage of these positive relationships, and create mini ecosystems where plants help to optimize the growth conditions of other plants. Are your tomatoes being attacked by white flies, hornworms, or aphids? Next time try planting basil next to them. Basil attracts insects that attack deter these insects, and produces essential oils that prevent nematodes from burrowing into the tomatoes’ roots. As a side bonus, basil flowers will help attract pollinators to your tomatoes, which means more tomatoes! Some even say the two help improve each other’s flavor. I’m not really sure about that because I pretty much always eat the two together.

#6 Live and Let Die

Just because you decided (with good reason)to ditch Bayer-Monsanto’s carcinogenic Round-Up doesn’t mean you should be passive when it comes to managing pests in your organic garden. If attracting beneficial insects through companion gardening isn’t enough, there are a wide range of household products that can target certain types of invaders. For managing weeds, try spraying vinegar or — my personal favorite — just cover any unwanted plants with leaves, grass clippings, or mulch donated by local tree trimming companies (many of them are open to delivering a load or two to your house free of charge). It will save you lots of effort weeding, and as the organic material breaks down, it will enrich your soil. Most molds can be killed off by spraying mixtures of plant based oils, although in the hot months, certain oils such as olive oil should be avoided. Insects can usually be killed before they are hatched with a mixture of dish soap and water. Squirrels can be kept away with owl statues. Rabbits and cats can be kept away with onions. Slugs can be trapped with beer… but hey I don’t want to ruin all the fun, do a little research. It’s surprising how many successful techniques there are for managing pests.

#7 Sharing is Caring

Most plant nerds such as myself are happy to share our knowledge and plants. Part of this is selfish I have to admit. You see, I know I won’t find all the best techniques and plants on my own, but if I can spread my love for gardening, I can trade my plants and produce with friends and neighbors for what they have. Growing local food is a great way to build community, and this is one of the centerpieces of what we do at NatureHub. So when I decided to grow seminole pumkins in half of my front lawn this year, I kind of expected some neighbors would voice at least mild dismay for the disruption of perfectly mowed suburbia on our street. To my surprise, everyone thought it was a great idea. Hopefully some of them will save the seeds from the pumpkins and we’ll have more pumpkin patches in the neighborhood next season.

#8 Don’t forget the Fun Guy

Most people forget about fungi when they garden, or even worse, they see it as a nuisance. Fungi is responsible for breaking down larger materials and converting them into bio-available compounds plants can easily absorb. In times of drought, fungi will exchange stored water with plants for sugar. Their tiny single celled underground networks are even used by certain species of plants to communicate via chemical signals when certain predators have begun to attack, so the other plants can start producing chemicals to defend themselves. Using the permaculture technique of adding layers to your garden instead of ploughing through it every year has the added benefit of attracting more fungus, and not breaking up their unseen subterranean networks.

“brown mushroom on tree trunk on selective focus photo” by Pree Bissessur on Unsplash

#9 Start with the Easy Plants

So many people who fail at gardening are the victims of picky plants. Maybe a friend gave them an orchid and they tried to keep it alive, not realizing that orchids have extremely specific growing conditions that are extremely difficult for people in most places to reproduce. Before you let the idea that you suck at gardening grow in your mind, go ask a local gardener what the easiest things are to grow in your area. It’s a lot more fun to start with the easy stuff. In many cases these there are native edible and medicinal plants growing in your yard already that you have been trained to believe are weeds. Some of the things I used to consider weeds are now some of my favorites. What was I thinking spending all that time weeding out dandelion and clover?

#10 Stop Gardening the Expensive Way

Spending too much on fertilizer? Try making your own by composting. Spending too much on bags of dirt and mulch? Why not order soil in bulk from a local garden supply store, or better yet, make your own soil by reclaiming your neighbors’ bagged leaves, grass, sticks, and other plant matter that will all break down into soil (a lot faster than you think). Spending too much on plants? Why not grow them from seed, trade plants with friends, and keep a collection of seeds from your own plants after they fruit. Who knows, you might develop the next heirloom pepper. I have one I call the Jellyfish Pepper — a mixture of habanero, Serano, and a few others that cross pollinated over the years.

#11 Leave Your Stopwatch Inside.

If you are the kind of person who got frustrated that there is a number 11 on a top 10 list, it’s time to take a step back. Why are you in such a rush? You might be telling yourself you don’t have time for gardening, but how much time are you spending in the grocery store? And how many extra hours do you have to work each year to buy all the fresh produce you want? If you have even 100-200 square feet of yard, you can probably grow enough produce for one person. The average American already spends over 70 hours a year in the yard mowing and trimming hedges. Why not spend some of that time using that space for something that will pay for itself? Replace your hedges with blueberry bushes, and let sweet potatoes and squash vines shade some of that useless boring grass. Believe me, you will be glad you did.