Don’t spend money on plants until you’ve done a vital gardening step – it’s the best advice I got when starting out
AN expert gardener has revealed her critical advice for novices just starting out — and it doesn’t cost a thing.
She explained that the tip saved her money when she began gardening for the first time.
Alexandra Campbell (@themiddlesizedgarden) shared her gardening recommendations with The U.S. Sun.
The YouTuber explained that beginners don’t need much in the way of supplies — they simply need drive and perseverance.
“The best gardening advice I was given when I started out was ‘just weed and mulch,'” she said.
“Go round your outside space, learn which are weeds and how to remove them.”
She advised taking steps to learn the foundations of gardening, saying it will pay off handsomely down the line.
“If you can pay a professional gardener to spend a few hours showing you how to weed, that’s a good investment,” she explained.
“Or ask a gardening friend to show you.
“Hand-weeding works best and it means you get to know your garden close up.
“Then add a layer of mulch, such as garden compost, mushroom compost, bark chips, well-rotted manure, or straw products on top of the bare soil.”
Ensuring your soil is ready before putting anything into the ground helps prevent waste and wasted money if plants die.
“Don’t start spending money on plants until you have weeded and mulched from one side of your garden to the other!” Campbell said.
“If you have a bad back or other disability, you can often do just a few square feet at a time. It adds up.”
Campbell urged gardeners not to get discouraged if weeds continue to pop back up.
“Weeds do always return — even if you use sprays or membrane,” she said.
Easy gardening tips to save money, maximize space, and repel pests
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- Banana peels, vinegar, and coffee grounds are often recommended as natural fertilizers.
- Dollar Tree sells four packs of seeds for $1.25.
- Try a vertical planter like Amazon’s Mr. Stacky 5 Tier Stackable Planter, $35 to make more use of a small space.
- Use netting like the Garden Netting Pest Barrier, $8, from Amazon to keep away bugs that eat your vegetables.
- Try sacrificial planting to reduce the use of pesticides and keep pests away from your garden. Deliberately growing certain plants to attract agricultural pests can keep them away from the plants you want to protect. Examples include marigolds, lavender, catnip, and chives.
- For pesky weeds in your garden, the Grampa’s Weeder – The Original Stand-Up Weed Puller Tool with Long Handles, $45, from Amazon is a helpful tool you can use without having to bend over.
“There’s no such thing as a weed-free outdoor surface, as weeds even grow on artificial grass.”
She explained that the trick is to accept that weed maintenance will be a regular part of your gardening routine.
“Looking after your garden is like looking after your home — you’ll always have to dust and mop the kitchen floor, but when you’re weeding, you’re close to the earth,” she said.
At the very least, weeding provides more stimulation than menial household chores.
“Scientific tests have proved that this helps create endorphins in the brain, so you feel better,” she said.
“And you can’t say that for mopping the kitchen floor!”