Gardening is the oldest hobby or pastime in the world. Even Adam and Eve had a garden. The beauty of gardening is that not only is it a pleasant enjoyable thing to do but it can also be very productive. For Complete novices however the sheer choice of what to grow and how is overwhelming. Here I am going to suggest two very easy types of plants that anyone can grow successfully. The results are always good.
Planting Tomatoes
One of the most common gardening activities is planting tomatoes. I remember watching them grow as a child and being amazed at how fast they grew. I was also roped in to do the regular watering that tomatoes need. Sometimes this needed doing twice a day, particularly in pots and growbags. Once you have picked your tomatoes there is so much you can do with them in the kitchen. The huge range of varieties means that you can grow different types for different meals. Some tomatoes go best with salads while others such as Italian plum tomatoes goes well in hot and cold dishes. The little cherry ones can be eaten as sweets.
When choosing your variety, bear in mind that your garden centre will only stock the ones that suite your climate. If you hear of an exotic variety but it is not available you will probably find it will not grow well in your part of the world. Of course you can always experiment with unusual types for fun. You will find it better in your first growing year to stick with the well known standard varieties. I have grown the “moneymaker” variety for 30 years and I always will even though so called experts say there are much better types out now.
You can buy tomato plants ready to plant out to your plot or in pots. You can also grow them from seed. I use my conservatory to start seeds early and I can pick tomatoes about 2 months earlier than most people because the plants are almost flowering by the time I put them out.
Planting Flower Bulbs
Planting flower bulbs is the simplest form of flower gardening. It is almost impossible to go wrong and the display of colour is always superb.
The best types of bulbs for beginners are daffodils, crocus, tulips and hyacinths. These can be grown in pots or put out into the garden (Except for Hyacinth where there is a chance of frost). They come in bags of 6 – 10 in garden centre and have the plants depth and care instructions with them.
The beauty of planting flower bulbs is that they come back year after year. They also multiply and spread out to give you more flowers each year.
Once you have tried the simple varieties mentioned for a year you can try some of the other bulbs such as gladioli or iris which take a bit more preparation and care.
If you are just starting out with your gardening why don’t you use tomatoes and flower bulbs as a learning experience for you. They can’t go wrong and you will get the gardening bug and want to grow a wider range of plants
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