{"id":557,"date":"2018-06-27T11:30:19","date_gmt":"2018-06-27T10:30:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gardenbenches.com\/blog\/?p=557"},"modified":"2025-07-29T13:17:44","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T12:17:44","slug":"gardening-basics-that-will-help-you-become-a-pro","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gardenbenches.com\/blog\/gardening-basics-that-will-help-you-become-a-pro\/","title":{"rendered":"Gardening Basics That Will Help You Become a Pro"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are you a home gardener looking for ways to make your garden flourish and produce healthier, more vibrant plants? Do you want to learn some of the tips that experienced gardeners use to look like a pro? This guide was designed for you. From preparing your soil to choosing the right equipment and more, you will learn the ins and outs of gardening and see what it takes to create a beautiful, lush garden that you can be proud of. Keep reading this guide that the team at Sloane and Sons Garden Benches<\/a> have put together to earn your green thumb now!<\/p>\n

Soil<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"soil\"<\/p>\n

The most important part of any garden is the soil. Without healthy, sustainable soil, no amount of work will make your garden grow. If you want a healthy garden, start with healthy soil. Here\u2019s how:<\/p>\n

Test The Quality Of Your Soil:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Testing the quality of your soil is a basic step towards growing a beautiful garden and it can take some time to do it properly. There are many soil pH tests available which enable you to test the pH of your soil, but for pro gardeners, that isn\u2019t enough. There are many other aspects of healthy soil you should consider:<\/p>\n

Root Development<\/strong><\/p>\n

To check for healthy root development, gently dig around a weed or other plant that you won\u2019t miss. Once you reach the root depth, pull the plant out of the ground and check for root development. You should see fine strands with a white healthy appearance. If the roots are brown or mushy, you could have drainage issues and if the roots look stunted, you may have root-gnawing pests that could be problems later on.<\/p>\n

One of the best indicators of soil quality is a plant\u2019s root system. If the roots are healthy and strong, you should have good air, water and biological activity present in your soil.<\/p>\n

Plant Vigor<\/strong><\/p>\n

By comparing the plants that are currently growing in your garden with the healthy plant colour for your region, you can get a good indication of the overall health of the soil.<\/p>\n

Workability<\/strong><\/p>\n

The workability of your soil is important in allowing water to reach the roots of your plants. When tilling your garden, if you see cloddy clumps, the workability is quite low. If it is difficult to till the soil, you will receive disappointing results from your garden come harvest time.<\/p>\n

Soil Structure and Tilth<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ideally, your soil should be made up a \u201ccrumbs\u201d that hold their shape under light pressure. If your soil breaks apart easily when slightly damp, it could be too hard.<\/p>\n

Soil Organisms<\/strong><\/p>\n

You can measure the organisms in your soil by digging down about 15 cm and monitor the hole for around 5 minutes. You should see a wide range of insects and other life. Look for 10 organisms for the best results as this will help break down plant residue and provide more nutrients for your garden.<\/p>\n

Compaction<\/strong><\/p>\n

Taking a wire garden flag, plunge it into your soil at various locations and mark the depth at which the flag bends. You should have 30 cm or more of penetrable soil before the wire bends as this will enable better root growth, water availability and it will allow earthworms and other soil fauna to circulate more freely.<\/p>\n

Plant Residue<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you are growing your garden over a previous crop, dig down into the soil and look for any evidence of the previous plant matter which you should have tilled into the soil. If after a month you see some easily recognisable plant parts and darkly coloured humus, you have a good rate of decomposition and the soil should be healthy enough to sustain your new garden.<\/p>\n

Water Availability<\/strong><\/p>\n

Another important factor when checking the quality of your soil is water availability. After a good rain, record how long your garden\u2019s plants take to begin showing signs of thirst. This will be different depending on the region you live in, but you shouldn\u2019t see these signs too early as this will indicate low quality soil that isn\u2019t holding the water long enough.<\/p>\n

Water Infiltration<\/strong><\/p>\n

Using an open ended tube or piece of PVC pipe, push it around 15 cm into the soil leaving just 5-7 cm above the ground. Fill this with water and note how long it takes the water to be absorbed into the soil. Do this in several areas around your garden, noting the water infiltration time for each test. You should see results measuring 2 cm per hour. Anything slower than that could mean that you have compacted soil. You want good water infiltration to ensure your plants\u2019 root systems get the water they need with risk of erosion or runoff.<\/p>\n

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Improve The Quality Of Your Soil:<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are many things that you can do to improve the quality of soil in your garden. Here are some of the ways gardeners use to get the best results from their gardens:<\/p>\n

Avoid Tilling the Soil<\/strong><\/p>\n

What? Don\u2019t till the soil in my garden? If you have a large garden area, tilling the soil can be beneficial. But if your garden is small, tilling the soil can actually have detrimental effects that could result in a less successful garden in the long run. Tilling can cause the soil to blow away in the wind or wash away in the rain and this can leave you adding more topsoil every season which can become costly and time consuming. Tilling your soil will also destroy the beneficial soil organisms that are needed for a healthy garden. If you feel that you must till, try aerating instead as this will gently turn the soil and will not harm the beneficial soil organisms or disrupt soil fertility. You could also use sheet mulch in place of tilling.<\/p>\n

Add Organic Matter<\/strong><\/p>\n

When we sow our crops, we remove much of the soil\u2019s nutrients. We replace these by adding organic matter every growing season. Organic matter not only improves the structure of the soil and attracts soil organisms, but it can also make it easier for plants to absorb nutrients from the soil to grow healthy and strong. Organic matter that the pros use includes:<\/p>\n