Consult a Professional

The best bet for novice gardeners is to consult plant health care services for new shrub and herbaceous plant installations. This will give them access to a wealth of knowledge. Plant specialists know everything about gardening, from when to plant each type of flower to what nutrients they need and how often to water, so don’t be afraid to take advantage of their expertise.

Go Native

Native plants don’t just benefit homeowners and guests by providing natural beauty and, sometimes, food. Since they’re perfectly suited to the area’s unique climate, they’ll be all but guaranteed to thrive with only minimal care. Plus, they’ll provide a habitat for beneficial insects, birds, and other critters that will help to control pests and turn the yard into more of a self-sustaining ecosystem.

Get Creative with Edible Plants

Annual vegetable gardens aren’t the only way to produce some extra food for the family. Shrubs, trees, and perennial plants can all be used in edible landscapes to feed not just wildlife, but also people. Perennial gardens that feature fruiting shrubs, perennial greens, and edible flowers can also be just as visually appealing as conventional flower gardens, but they require less care and continue producing food year after year.

Feed the Plants

No matter what types of gardens they choose to plant, homeowners should ensure their flowers, vegetables, shrubs, and other plants get all the nutrients they need to grow and thrive. Healthy plants that get plenty of nutrients from fertilizer, compost, or liquid plant foods will be better able to withstand the various stresses of pest attacks, diseases, and inclement weather. They’ll also grow larger and produce more flowers and fruits.

Use Companion Planting

Companion planting isn’t just for vegetable gardens. All trees, shrubs, herbs, and flowers have unique growing requirements, including different watering schedules, pH ranges, nutrient requirements, soil preferences, and more. To make matters more complicated, some plants are allelopathic, meaning they produce chemicals that inhibit the growth of other plants.

Homeowners who want to plant walnut trees, for example, need to know they produce juglone, a chemical that inhibits most other plants’ growth. If they want to incorporate other plants into their landscapes beneath the drip line of these trees, they’ll have to choose species carefully to avoid unwanted plant die-offs. Planting flowers, vegetables, and herbs that have similar growing requirements and necessary allelopathic tolerances will make it much easier to maintain a beautiful landscape, year after year.

The Bottom Line

Gardening is a great way to spend time outside and improve the curb appeal of any property, but it requires a certain amount of expertise. Homeowners who want to get started on the right foot may want to hire a professional plant care company to help them get their gardens established and, if they’re not the type to enjoy getting their hands dirty, provide ongoing maintenance. That way, they’ll be able to enjoy all the benefits of a beautiful garden with a minimum of work.