With the UK set to experience warmer temperatures this week, it’s the perfect time to get into the garden and start preparing it for the season ahead. But there are four common mistakes people make.
Warmer temperatures are expected to arrive in the UK this week, finally. If you’re lucky enough to have an outdoor space, you might want to take note.
The hashtag “#DIYVegetableGarden” gets 84.1 million views on TikTok alone. Now, the experts at Yell have done all the hard work for us as they searched through Tiktok’s most popular gardening hacks on how to prepare and grow a garden.
Start small
If you are planning to start a garden in your garden, then the potential size will probably depend on the space you have. While some may have big plans when it comes to growing vegetables, it’s a great idea to start small when you’re new to it, the Express reports.
A great guide to follow is to stick to the one meter rule. This is based on how multiple vegetables and herbs can be grown in the space of one meter. She recommends not always following planting labels, as many vegetables can be grown together and therefore allow you to optimize your small space as best as possible.
As simple as it may seem, if done incorrectly, it can damage your garden and decrease what you can grow and its flowering. Not only will it stunt the growth of your vegetables, but it can also increase the risk of diseases like downy mildew and botrytis, which will kill all, if not most, of your vegetables.
Flat board spacing
A popular trick that is going viral on TikTok is the carrot board. Search demand for ‘plant spacing tips’ increased by 103 percent over the past month; The success of your garden depends largely on the way you space your crops. Using a flat wooden board with straight rows for spacing is a great way to ensure your vegetables grow properly.
The viral TikTok trick involves taking a flat board and gluing bottle caps, upside down, two to three inches apart in a single row to get a board thirty inches wide. This is especially useful when it comes to growing carrots, where rows should be planted thirty centimeters apart. You may be able to move the rows closer together for some varieties.
Use household items to perform soil tests.
Your soil is the only element that will make or break the success of your garden. One of the most popular TikTok tricks when it comes to horticulture is testing your soil type. With more than 391,100 views under the hashtag #SoilTesting, soil preparation is essential.
The testing checklist includes checking nutrient type, pH, and composition before planting. You can buy a soil testing kit, but what if you want to do it yourself? Check soil pH cheaply by mixing some soil with vinegar and if it bubbles, the soil is alkaline. Mix with baking soda and if it bubbles, the soil is acidic. No reaction means the soil is neutral.
Grow vertically
When choosing what to grow in your garden, starting with climbing or vining plants, such as beans, cucumbers, and tomatoes, is an easy way to ensure success.
To start growing climbing vegetables, you can create some simple trellises using pruned branches from your garden or bamboo canes, tied with twine. You can then place some old buckets or other reclaimed containers on the base and use them to grow your plants.
In really small spaces, especially if you use the meter rule, you can even use old plastic bottles to make planting towers, with holes in the sides to grow strawberries, lettuce, herbs and other edibles.
Easy to grow vegetables
The most exciting part of your garden is choosing what crops you want to grow. For beginners, starting with the easiest vegetables to grow will increase your chances of success the first time.
Choose low-maintenance vegetables that don’t require much work to grow and seeds that can be planted easily and quickly. TikTok’s favorite easy-to-grow vegetables include:
