Marcy Souza<\/span> Gardening tips for beginners<\/p>\n Keep your garden thriving with these tips.<\/p>\n Problem solved, USA TODAY<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/media-video><\/div>\n If you are someone who makes New Year’s resolutions, be sure to remember gardening when setting your goals for the New Year. In fact, consider putting gardening at the top of your list. Here are some ideas and inspiration to get you started on your best year in gardening yet. <\/p>\n Don’t let weeds get out of hand before making efforts to control them. Dealing with weeds is an inevitable part of landscape maintenance. Yards with regular lawn maintenance have less severe weed problems. <\/p>\n sort. We all have that place in the garage or shed where forgotten garden materials pile up and now sit, unused. Resolve to clean out your garden shed, discard expired materials, clean tools and organize.<\/p>\n We strive for healthy soil. Our soil teams with life such as worms, nematodes, insects, microbes and weeds along with nutrients vital for proper plant growth. Consider adding compost, compost, or fertilizer to enrich your soil. <\/p>\n Start a compost pile for your garden. Turn yard scraps, leaves, and fruit\/vegetable waste into a great soil amendment full of beneficial microbes for your garden. If you don’t have room for a compost pile, consider worm composting with worms! <\/p>\n Stick to water awareness. This means converting old and wasted sprinkler heads to drip irrigation and adding a smart irrigation controller. Know how and when to water your landscape correctly – lawns should not be watered daily or at 3 p.m. <\/p>\n Go on a gardening trip. Expand your horizons with a trip to a local botanical garden or nursery this year. Use the trip to inspire design, learn something new, or just relax and enjoy the beauty of your surroundings. The UC Davis Arboretum is a great place to visit near it. There are also several local nurseries where you can take the time to discover plants that are new to you. <\/p>\n Whether it’s a vegetable, fruit, or herb, resolve to plant something new in your garden this year. It’s fun trying a new variety of tomatoes or herbs that you haven’t grown before. Conversations with friends are so much better when you can show off your garden!<\/p>\n If you use pesticides (yes organics are also pesticides) consider cutting back this year. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a method of controlling weeds, diseases and insects in a more environmentally friendly manner with the use of chemical control as a last resort. Find out more at ipm.ucanr.edu. <\/p>\n Add an indoor plant to your home. Indoor plants provide countless benefits including greening a room, uplifting moods, increasing oxygen levels, and adding interest to visual design. <\/p>\n Incorporate a native flowering plant, two, or three into your ornamental garden. Native plants are more likely to support pollinators such as butterflies and bees. Consider other things you can add to your garden in search of pollinators, such as a water source. <\/p>\n Use mulch. Mulch helps control weeds and maintains moisture. Just be sure to keep it a few inches away from the plants to prevent rot. <\/p>\n Take a risk and plant something new. Try some new plants in your landscape or garden. Experimenting with new plants is part of the fun of gardening. <\/p>\n Take your son, daughter, grandson, niece or nephew and show them your garden, flowers and vegetables. Plant something with a child. Whether it’s your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or students, resolve to share your love of gardening with someone younger this year. <\/p>\n Spend more time enjoying the garden. Take the time to touch the leaves, smell the flowers, and appreciate what’s going on. <\/p>\n Reward yourself with a good book on gardening. Gardening books are a great way to pursue your hobby during the colder months or when the sun isn’t shining. Check out the American Horticultural Association Book Awards for a list of good titles to choose from. <\/p>\n Keep a gardening diary in 2022. How often do you plant a new vegetable variety but forget the name by next year? To ensure future gardening success, Simple Gardening Journal will allow you to keep track of what worked and what didn’t. <\/p>\n Remember to have fun. Do not immerse yourself in your garden. Some years are good years and some not so much, and much of what determines that is beyond our control. So, just enjoy it and remember the gardener’s motto: There’s always next year. <\/p>\n For advice on gardening-related questions, call the UC Master Gardener’s office at (209) 953-6112, or use our website: ucanr.edu\/sjmg <\/em><\/p>\n Marcy Souza | What is growing Gardening tips for beginners Keep your garden thriving with these tips. 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