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Writer's pictureKruthi Muthigi

Gardening Tips for beginners

Being someone who lives in an apartment with a combined patio, it’s hard to begin a garden or a mini-garden.


Even after starting one, it’s so hard to maintain it without killing, overwatering, or under watering your plants.


Well I’m about to change that! Here are some useful tips for people who have limited space and yet can grow your own mini-garden!




1. Know how to sow your seeds!

When you plant the seeds into a pot or container, make sure to not pack it too deep into the soil. The seed should be sowed not more than half an inch beneath the surface. It’s best to use your pinky finger to make a hole up to the first indentation of the finger. Once the seed is in, cover it with soil, and spray water over the soil to make it damp but not too wet.

2. Do not over/under water


Based on weather conditions, sometimes we tend to become over conscious about our plants and tend to over or under watering them.

I have a trick that works like wonders!!

Make a hole under the pot or container you’re planting the plant in (some pots already have holes in them so that’s a plus if yours has one!) use a piece of string (preferably yarn) to place one end of the string in the hole and let about 3-4 inches of the yarn seep into the soil of the plant and then place the other end of the string in a medium container filled with water.

How this helps is, whenever the plant soil gets dry, it starts using the string to absorb water from the container (kind of like a straw) and it absorbs however much it needs which is perfect to help it survive! All you have to do is refill the container now and then. That way you never over water or underwater it!

3. Plant food/compost is your best friend


You can find plant food pellets online that you can plant into the soil of your plant to give it extra nutrients to grow.


Making your own compost from food scraps is also a great alternative!

4. Home-Made Organic Insecticide/Pesticide/Fertilizer


I learned this from a fellow Instagram garden influencer and I apologize I forgot her username but this recipe is definitely basic, easy and a life saver!

Boil 2 tbsp Aritha (soap nut powder- keeps insects away) in water and let it cool down. Once cooled, strain the water and add a few drops of liquid soap or detergent (retains water in the soil for a longer period) , 2 tbsp of sour yogurt or curd (leave yogurt in a warm place for a whole day to make it sour and that means it has tons of healthy probiotics that will nourish your plants), 3-4 drops of neem oil (to keep away pests).


add everything to a spray bottle and add water to dilute it a bit and spray it on your plants. you can even add a crushed green chilli in it to spray on the leaves (not the soil) for any vegetables or leafy plants that you eventually want to consume.


Spray this once a week and you‘re Golden!

5. Greenhouse for the Winter


If you live somewhere the weather stays warm for most of the year like I do, then our plants are lucky that they will be able to survive better than those who live in relatively colder places.

unfortunately this winter, Florida has been blessed with extremely cold weather for an unusually longer period of time so I had to buy a greenhouse rack on Amazon to help keep my plants warmer, and I succeeded in helping them survive.


Greenhouses have a quality that takes in sunlight and insulates it within the plastic cover and creates a warm atmosphere within the rack to help protect plants from freezing out.

6. Using the right tools and going to the right place for it!

Anyone who is interested in DIY home improvement projects or gardening can visit https://www.eastcoasthardware.com/


to check out their awesome collection of tools, products and more for any DIY home improvement, gardening, sporting goods etc!



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