Tag: Gardening Tips

Why Gardening Has Become a Favorite Hobby

Gardening is quickly become one of my favorite hobbies. Not only does it get me outside into nature, but there’s just something about growing your own food. It’s extremely rewarding, and I’m going to share some tips for an abundant garden harvest.

I’ve spent many hours outside, just looking at my plants, pruning, watering, feeding and harvesting. I love to see all of the little bees and butterflies that enjoy my garden as well. It truly puts a smile on my face.

The Challenges Every Gardener Faces

While gardening can be a fun hobby, there are times when it gets frustrating—especially when the time and energy you are putting into it does not produce the results you were hoping for.

For instance, sometimes you end up with wilted plants, or you may notice that certain pests enjoy your plants as much as you do. Additionally, you may notice the leaves browning or the fruit is not taking hold. It can be discouraging.

There’s Good News

The good news is with a little practice, patience, and knowledge, your garden can grow into something abundant and beautiful.

Over the seasons, I have learned quite a bit—and I’m still learning! In fact, I can happily say that this year, my garden is thriving!

If you’re new to gardening or just looking to improve your results, I’d love to share some of the simple strategies that have made the biggest difference for me. These aren’t complicated or expensive—just practical, proven tips for an abundant harvest, no matter the size of your garden.

Ready for a More Abundant Harvest

Here are 10 foolproof tips to help your garden achieve an abundant garden harvest:

1. Start with Healthy, Nutrient-Rich Soil

It’s not enough to just dig up a patch of dirt and hope for the best. Healthy, nutrient-rich soil is the foundation of a successful garden. Choose a high-quality organic soil blend that includes components like compost and peat moss to improve texture, drainage, and fertility. You can also create your own mix using topsoil, compost, and peat moss or coconut coir. You may even consider adding worm castings or aged manure for a nutrient boost. A good quality soil supports strong root development and gives your plants the nutrients they need to thrive from the start.

2. Pick High-Yield, Disease-Resistant Varieties

When you are choosing what to plant in your garden, consider plants that tend to produce a lot and don’t get diseases easily. This will mitigate some frustrations—especially if you are a beginner. A few options you may want to consider include:

• -Green Beans
• -Broccoli
• -Carrots
• -Cucumbers
• -Melons
• -Pumpkins
• -Squash
• -Corn
• -Cherry Tomatoes
• -Peppers

3. Plant at the Right Time for Your Climate

What zone are you in? I’m in zone 9. We get very hot, very fast here. Knowing your climate zone helps you plant at the right time. Planting too early can stunt growth, while planting too late shortens your growing season. Use a planting guide to help you get the timing just right.

4. Water Deeply and Consistently

Plants need steady moisture to develop healthy roots and produce well. Water deeply at the base of the plant rather than shallow, frequent watering which can lead to weak roots. Early morning watering is best as it helps reduce evaporation and disease. *If you are doing a container garden like me, we water at least 2 times a day here. It gets hot in the afternoon so we like to water when the temps start to get hot so they don’t dry out and then again either in the evening or early morning. We try to never let them get dried out* Additionally, a soil tester can help you know when to water or check your soil’s PH. It shows if you need to water or check the PH of your soil. (Affiliate)

5. Feed Your Plants Throughout the Growing Season

Just like us, plants need nutrients to thrive. The bigger the plant the more they need. Boost their health with organic fertilizers like compost tea, fish emulsion, or balanced slow-release fertilizers every week or two. This helps support flowering and fruit development.

6. Use Companion Planting to Your Advantage

So, What is companion planting? It’s where you grow certain plants together to benefit each other. For example, basil can improve tomato flavor and repel pests, while marigolds deter harmful insects. Companion planting can boost growth and reduce the need for chemical pest control.

7. Keep Pests and Diseases Under Control Early

Regularly inspect your plants for signs of pests or disease. Early detection makes treatment much easier. You can hand-pick pests or use natural remedies like neem oil-I love using neem oil once a week on my plants. Healthy plants tend to do better when problems arise than stressed ones.

8. Give Your Plants Plenty of Space

If you are gardening in containers like I do, I transplant seedlings into their own containers once seeds have germinated and they have gotten used to being outside. Whether in containers, in the ground or a raised bed, avoid crowding plants, which can lead to poor air circulation and competition for nutrients. Follow spacing recommendations on seed packets or plant tags. Proper spacing helps plants grow bigger and reduces disease risk.

9. Harvest Often to Encourage More Growth

Many vegetables—like beans, cucumbers, and zucchini—produce more when you harvest regularly. Once your plants start producing fruit, be sure you are harvesting them as soon as they are ready. Waiting too long can cause the fruit to over-ripen, turn yellow and slow down production, as the plant is putting so much energy into what is already growing.

10. Keep Track of What Works and Rotate Crops Each Year

One of the best ways to do this is with a gardening journal. Keeping a simple garden journal helps to note which plants thrived, what problems you faced—such as pests, and when you planted and harvested. Rotating crops each season helps prevent soil nutrient depletion and breaks pest and disease cycles. I highly recommend this journal. (Affiliate)

Learn as you Grow

As you continue to garden each season, you will continue to learn more about your plants and the unique environment of your garden. Gradually, you will learn what works and what doesn’t. And soon enough you will have an abundant garden harvest.

Are you a gardener? What tips and tricks have you tried that has helped your garden become more fruitful? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear from you. Thanks for reading!