Are you an avid gardener? Do you proudly refer to yourself as a “plant parent?” Do you closely monitor all of the changes your plants go through every day? If the answers to these are a resounding “yes,” it means that you take your garden very seriously. So if it happens that your garden isn’t thriving, plants start dying out, and all of your efforts seem in vain, you might start wondering what is happening. This is why we are here – to offer you a few useful tips and tricks that will help you maintain your garden’s perfect health.

Plant the plants in the perfect spot

If you want to be a successful gardener with a thriving and healthy garden, it’s important to use plants that are appropriate for soil type, climate, and zone. Trying to grow tropical plants in a cold climate will only lead to disappointment and dead plants. If you have a sunny garden and want to plant azalea, which is a notorious shade-loving plant, it will barely grow and be susceptible to diseases and insects. Also, if you plant a crape myrtle in a spot where any part of its leaves will be in the shade, those will be the only parts with powdery mildew. Plants are similar to humans, in a way, as they have defence systems that are similar to a human’s immune system. This means that their systems will swing into action when insects, bacteria, viruses, or another form of disease attack the plants. And stressed plants with overactive immune systems simply won’t grow properly.

Let the compost materials decompose

Having a compost pile or a box in your yard is a great way to ensure that your plants will get good organic fertilizer without you having to spend extra money on it. Composing a compost pile is a form of art in itself because there are components that should never be added, even though they are organic and seemingly safe. Any pesticide-treated plants, dairy, meat, and oil should be avoided at all costs. Any weeds that have gone to seed don’t belong here either, nor does charcoal ash. It’s good to remember that materials added to the pile will not be decomposing at the same rate, and you should be careful when adding them to your plants. Composting creates high temperatures over an extended period of time, and if there are any components that haven’t been through the process, they might bring bacteria and pathogens to your beloved plants.

Chase the bad bugs

Bugs in the garden are a perfectly normal and expected occurrence, but not all bugs are equal and benevolent when it comes to planting health. You naturally want bees and ladybugs to come into your garden and possibly even stay here as long as possible, but the same can’t be said about aphids and ants, though. Insects can damage your plants on more than a surface level, and you don’t want to leave anything to chance. If there are bugs damaging your plants, these openings are perfect entryways for viruses and bacteria. Thrips are insects that carry and transport impatiens necrotic spot virus from one plant to another. Likewise, aster yellows are a very common plant disease that leafhoppers carry. Keep an eye out for harmful insects and look into ways of keeping them away.

Light the garden up

If you are putting a lot of effort into keeping your garden nice and neat, you naturally want to spend a lot of time out there. People who work typical 9 to 5 jobs and have families rarely have time to just get home and relax on the porch. If your favourite time to rest and de-stress after work is the evening, and you want to spend time in your lovely garden, you should install a few garden solar lights, like the ones Hoselink makes. Not only will it improve the mood, but the extra light will help you and everyone else who’s spending time in the garden see where they’re going. This will greatly improve your coordination and you won’t end up accidentally stepping onto a herb or a flower in the dark. Well-lit areas are safe for everybody, you and your plants included.

Treat the soil

When plants get sick, we do everything in our power to make them better, but are we putting in as much effort when it comes to the soil? Soil supports and feeds the plants, and it will inevitably degrade over time. This is precisely why it needs to be refreshed on occasion. The simplest solution is to buy bags of new soil from a local garden centre and spread it around generously. Checking the quality of your garden soil regularly is a great way to ensure your plants are getting the nutrients they need. You can also help by adding organic mulch, as it will help the soil retain moisture. Mulching material is also great for keeping weeds down, so be generous when spreading it over your garden.

Make sure you water properly

This is a tricky one because you don’t want your plants to be thirsty, especially during hot months. On the other hand, overwatering is a big issue since it can (and often will) lead to unhealthy plants. Too much moisture causes leaf spots and fungi growth to begin with, and you don’t want to introduce these into your garden. This is why you should limit your watering expeditions and get your hose out only when necessary. Get a reliable retractable hose and keep it in your garden shed when you’re not using it. Keep your eye on the weather forecast and pay attention to how often and how much it’s raining. You can also get some tools to help you figure out how moist the soil is. Checking the moisture before you water is a great way to avoid overwatering.

Pick the right time for clean-ups

With people having the most free time during summer, it’s only natural that they focus on their plants at this time. Sadly, hot summer months are not the best time to do garden clean-ups, as this is when plants grow and thrive the most. If you’re thinking of cleaning up your garden, it’s best you do it in the fall, especially if you live in an area with a moderate climate. Vigorous cleaning will also help contain and control any disease that’s already plaguing your garden while effectively keeping any new ones at bay. This is because plant diseases can easily overwinter on dead leaves and, in spring, attack the new leaves the moment they emerge.

Prune at an opportune moment

Expanding on the previous idea, it’s important to know when and how to prune your plants. Pruning ensures the plants are healthy and thriving, but also that they’re bearing fruit and distributing nutrients the right way. Shrub and tree trimmings should be done in late fall or even in late winter. This is because the plants aren’t growing but rather hibernating at this time, which makes it painless to trim and prune excess leaves and branches. It’s important to do it in late winter, but be careful not to postpone it until early spring. Dormant wounded plants’ limbs can easily become infected during winter months, but late-winter pruning will prevent the disease from spreading. Using sharp tools is a must, as is making clean cuts that will heal rapidly.

Don’t crowd the plants

If you have plants in your garden that have been there for a while, this means that they gave their designated and established spots. You shouldn’t move them from those places unless you really have to. If you’re looking to transplant something, be mindful of the spacing. When too crowded, plants will create their own humidity, which can cause powdery mildew disease to spread. Not just that, but rust and downy mildew diseases are also likely to thrive in such conditions, to the detriment of your beloved plants. Spacing the plants properly will improve the airflow around them, thus reducing this high humidity and allowing the foliage to dry out more quickly. Also, plants that are too close to one another will have to fight for light, water, and food instead of growing in peace.

Plant companion plants

Instead of crowding a bunch of similar plants in a limited space, you can try planting companion plants together instead. Companion planting also known as intercropping among farmers and gardeners, is a planting method where you plant a wide variety of different crops together. This kind of planting will likely increase growth productivity by providing enough pollinators. There are also cases where companion planting can help ward off pests and even control the entire habitat, thus attracting beneficial insects. With intercropping, you will keep your garden, herbs, and even flower beds thriving because you will surround them with plants that will encourage their successful growth.

Do a detailed inspection before the purchase

Last but not least, by far, the easiest way to keep plant disease out of your little garden is to never introduce it in the first place. Many people go on plant-shopping sprees or see a deal they just can’t ignore and end up buying plants that might be sick. When you bring these plants into your garden, they will inevitably spread the disease among the other plants. Fortunately, it’s possible to learn to recognize perfectly healthy plants from the ones that are sick, even though said skill might be difficult to master. The fool-proof way to pick healthy plants is to avoid those that have dead spots, insects, or rotted seams. Does this mean that you are going to look a bit insane scrutinizing every leaf before you buy a plant? Possibly. Will this help you keep your garden healthy? Definitely. Is it worth it? Absolutely.

Plants getting a disease is a common occurrence even in the healthiest gardens that have the most dedicated gardeners. Because plants have a limited way of communicating with us, we have to rely on what we see. Be very meticulous in your daily garden inspection, as spotting early signs of plant disease can save you a lot of hard work and money. Keeping a garden healthy is a lot of work and dedication on your part, but it’s very rewarding and fulfilling. We hope that our tips are going to help your garden stay healthy for a long time.