If you’ve recently taken up gardening, or want to try your hand at it, you’re in the right place!
To give you a helping hand, we’ve put together our top gardening tips for beginners. No matter how small your green space is!
Let's help you get started with City Gardening in Singapore, with a few quick tips on tools and plants suited for small gardens.
Basic gardening tips for beginners
Get the right tools
Before you can do any gardening, you need to make sure you have the right equipment! Here’s a quick round-up of the essentials that any gardener must have:
- Pruning scissors (see here for some suggestions)
- Tools for digging and raking, i.e. a spade, a trowel and a garden fork. (see here)
- Tools for watering, i.e. a garden hose and a watering can (see here for a complete range of Gardena watering aids)
- Tools for weeding (i.e. a forked trowel and a gardening knife
- Plant supports & garden ties
Secure your plants to help them grow straight
Once you’ve potted your plants or trees, and they’ve started to sprout, you’ll need a sturdy fastener to help them grow straight. Green plastic ties with a wire core are widespread, but they can cause damage to the plant stem, causing it to snap in two.
We’d recommend using VELCRO Reusable Plant Ties & Cutter they’re much less harsh than wire ties as they offer a soft barrier for the stem while it grows. They’re reusable and made from 65% recycled plastic, making them a good sustainable choice for your garden.
They’re also self-gripping, so there are no awkward knots, and a soft lining ensures the tie does not cut into the stem. The ties are fully adjustable as your foliage grows, and they’ll be a secret weapon to stop plants flopping around or growing in the wrong direction.
You can even use them as a plaster for any splits or cuts your plant stems receive along the way. And they’re gentle enough to pull the plant together carefully while it heals itself.
Pick the right plants for your garden
It’s always easy to buy from a greenery off the shelf in Singapore, but how many plants to survive or how many times you have to replace them because there’s nothing worse than planting a new plant, only for it to die.
Avoid this by checking what type of soil you have (sandy or clay-like) and planting plants that thrive in that type of soil — for example, ZZ Plant (Also known as: Zamioculcas Zamiifolia) a popular indoor plant, because it performs well under the low light. You only have to water them when the soil is dry.
If you’re not sure which plants are suitable for you, have a peek into your neighbours’ gardens to see what they’ve planted.
Water plants correctly
A good gardening tip for beginners is to be careful when watering plants. The trick is to provide them with enough water without the soil becoming waterlogged.
Water your plants slowly so that the water soaks down into the soil (it should feel damp about 2-3 inches below the surface).
Ready to get started? Check out our range of sustainable garden ties for supporting your plants and seedlings and stay on our blog for more gardening tips and ideas!