As the weather warms up and the days lengthen, you may find yourself wishing to spend more time in your yard. One of the most rewarding ways to enjoy your home’s outdoor space is to plant a garden. Whether you want to grow vegetables, flowers, or anything in between, bring your yard to life with these simple tips for starting a garden:

Plan your garden. Before you begin planting, get to know your garden. Check how much sun each area gets throughout the day to determine what—and where—to plant. Next, perform a soil test to find out whether your soil is acidic or alkaline—then look online or ask a local garden center expert which plants will grow in your garden’s sunlight and soil conditions. Once you have your list of plants and where to put them, it’s time to plant!

Feed and water your plants regularly. Once your plants are in the ground, help them thrive by watering and feeding them regularly. Water the roots, not the leaves—as a general rule, watering the root ball generously once or twice a week is better than watering a little bit every day. To grow your plants healthy and strong, give them fertilizer twice a month during the spring and summer.

Be kind to wildlife and watch for pests. Your new garden will be a sanctuary not only for you, but for wildlife as well. It’s tempting to view some of these creatures as pests, but many of them are actually beneficial to your garden. There are many helpful pollinators such as birds, bees, butterflies, and other insects that should be left to go about their business in peace. Spiders, lady bugs, birds, and frogs can also help to control the population of pests. However, keep an eye out for increasing numbers of aphids, slugs, and snails, as these can quickly become an infestation that will harm your plants.

Learn when and how to prune. For new gardeners, pruning plants may be intimidating at first, but it’s a step you don’t want to overlook. If you learn how to prune correctly, you’ll be rewarded with healthier, bushier plants that will flower and fruit more often. Best practices for pruning vary for different kinds of plants. If you take a few extra minutes to research how to prune the plants in your garden, your flowers, shrubs, and vegetables will thank you with more blossoms, bushier growth, and a bright, tasty harvest.

Enjoy your garden. Don’t forget to enjoy the fruits of your labors by spending leisure time in your garden. Spend your time in comfort by creating a shaded seating area where you can read or spend time with friends and family. If you enjoy bird-watching, hang a feeder or install a bird bath to invite more winged visitors. Add some evening ambiance by hanging string lights or dispersing landscape lights throughout your garden.

Take advantage of your outdoor space this spring and summer! We hope these tips will help you on your way to planting a garden you'll enjoy for years to come.

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