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A Hosting Home

Styling and Inspiration + Handcrafted Designs

Home & Home Decor, Spring & Summer

Our Beginner Gardening Tips / Raised Garden Bed Tips

Our Beginner Gardening and Raised Garden Bed Tips / A Hosting Home Blog

Summer Garden Update

When I started sharing about our new DIY raised garden beds this summer on Instagram, I would have never imagined that y’all would be as invested as I was! We started our garden as a way for me to keep myself busy this summer as we went into this season without our little Layne. Quickly it went from a summer project to something much more therapeutic and healing than I could have ever imagined.

The garden has flourished over the past month and a half, and we’ve already gotten more veggies out of it than we know what to do with. But most importantly, we’ve had so much joy come out of tending it. For my first year gardening since I was a little girl in Iowa, I’m quite impressed with myself. Rob jokes and calls me ‘Farmer Cathy’ to all of our friends. Meanwhile, I say it’s all from the love of Jesus – because God knew I needed it this summer.

READ ALSO: DIY Raised Garden Beds

Since I started sharing our garden updates on Instagram stories, I have had so many of you reach out to me to ask me for gardening tips. So I have decided to share some of my beginner gardening tips today on the blog along with some things I wish I would have figured out sooner. To which I want to preface that I am definitely not a gardening guru. The shrugging shoulders emoji is how I actually look – because I am definitely just winging this.

Our Beginner Gardening and Raised Garden Bed Tips / A Hosting Home BlogOur Beginner Gardening and Raised Garden Bed Tips / A Hosting Home Blog

Our Beginner Gardening Tips

Raised Garden Bed Tips

Here are some of my beginner gardening tips as well as from raised garden beds tips. Like I said, I am definitely just winging this, so these tips may not be exactly ground breaking. I just want to share with you what I’ve learned along the way!

1. Water Daily

You should water your raised garden beds every day that it doesn’t rain. This may sound kind of like a no-brainer. However, I have figured out that the raised garden beds dry out super fast. This is especially true in the hot Georgia summer. I water the raised beds a little bit every evening, and I give them a deep watering on evenings where it may have been extra hot that day.

Meanwhile, I think you may be able to get away with not watering every day if your garden is in the ground. I always gauge it by how fast the water absorbs into the soil. If it’s absorbed really fast, I know that it needs more water that day. If it’s slower to absorb, I limit the water given that day so I don’t overwater. (Overwatering is just as bad as not watering enough!)

I tend to water in the evening because that works better for my schedule. Plus, the bees seem to be super active in the mornings. I’ve read that it’s actually better to water in the early morning to avoid the growth of fungus over night, but I don’t think that will be much of a problem here in the hotter weather. Whatever you decide to do, never water mid day. The hot summer sun can burn your plants as it evaporates the water from the leaves.

2. Deadhead and Trim as You Go

One thing my OCD tendency has made me do is to deadhead and trim as I go. But at the same time, I’ve learned that gardening is a lot like our faith. Plant it, nurture it, and watch it grow. Part of nurturing though is cutting back. You trim and deadhead your plants because you don’t want them to waste their energy on veggies and flowers that are dead and not doing to be fruitful for the end purpose. Meanwhile, we nurture our faith by deadheading and trimming back the areas of our life that are ‘dead’ and not fruitful to our purpose in Christ. It’s not only essential to the survival of the plant (us), but it allows us to produce more and better veggies (fruits).

3. Protect Your Plants!

I hate bugs, and I especially hate bugs messing with my plants. I’ve found that peppermint essential oil diluted in a spray bottle with water is a natural and non-chemical way to deal with ants. It doesn’t kill them on contact, but I’ve read that it confuses their senses to where they don’t make it back to their mound (and then die). However, I’ve found that this doesn’t work with other garden insects that can damage your plants.

If you’re not against the use of a little chemicals in your garden, I’ve found that Sevin dust / mix works amazing. It’s advertised to kill 500 different outdoor pests including ants, fleas, ticks, spiders, Japanese beetles, aphids, cabbage worms and outdoor roaches. It’s also advertised to be used in vegetable gardens. I had a huge problem with Japanese beetles destroying my knock-out roses, and after one treatment they have all disappeared!

4. Do Some Upfront Research

I’m definitely a huge planner, and I found that doing some simple upfront research really helped me get started with our first year of gardening.

  • Look at your yard throughout the day to see how the sun and shade hit your yard. You want to make sure that you set-up your garden in an area with full sun (6+ hours of direct sunlight per day). I also read that setting up your raised garden beds running North to South helps to make sure that your plants get an even amount of sun on each side as the sun goes from East to West.
  • I also learned through some upfront research that apparently veggies can be picky about who their roommates are. You’ll want to research what can and can’t be planted together to make sure your garden flourishes as much as possible. Easy to grow veggies include, cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, carrots, and beets. (Based on this year’s experience so far, I have to agree that squash and cucumbers are SO easy!)
  • Based on the ‘zone’ that you’re in, you’ll want to research when you should transplant your seedlings outdoors. If you do it too early, a cold snap could ruin your garden.

5. Coffee Grounds!

When I started sharing about our raised garden beds on Instagram, I had a few people message me and tell me to save my coffee grounds for my hydrangeas and knockout roses. Now I don’t feel so guilty about how much coffee I drink since it has a dual purpose. (At least that’s what I’m going to keep telling myself!) I’m not sure how often I’m suppose to, but I try to sprinkle my coffee grounds on my hydrangeas and roses about once a week or so.

I also had someone tell me that hydrangeas love pickle juice! I haven’t tried it yet, but I am definitely going to! I’ll have to report back and tell you how it goes.

Our Beginner Gardening and Raised Garden Bed Tips / A Hosting Home Blog

Hindsight: Raised Garden Bed Mistakes

(What I Wish I Would Have Known)

1. Give Plants Area to ‘Run’

Some plants, like cucumbers and some varieties of squash, need room to ‘run’ as they spread out and grow. I put the lattice up on our raised garden beds to hopefully help with that, but I didn’t really know better in regards to what would actually need it. Hindsight is always 20-20, and I plan to fix the lattice next year to give more room for my cucumbers and squash to run outside of the raised garden beds.

Something like this: 

Beginner Gardening Tips

Photo via Pinterest

2. Don’t Overcrowd Plants

You want to make sure your plants have the room they need to grow and flourish. When you’re planting your garden, you want to make sure that you plant things far enough a part that your plants are overcrowding one another. I planted one plant per square foot (squash, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers), and it’s still a little tight. Here is a handy chart that I plan to reference next year from A Burst of Beautiful.

beginner gardening tips / a hosting home blog

3. Label Everything!

I made the mistake of not labeling everything when I planted it, so I had to wait till the plant produced to remember what variety it was. This was especially true of the squash and tomatoes that we planted. It’s not too big of a deal, but it may help to know (especially if you start from seeds) what is what so you can easily know what does well and what doesn’t in your garden.

Like I said, I’m winging it, y’all. Next year I plan to label everything in true OCD fashion.

4. Herbs and Lavender

When I was doing some research on ways to get pests out of my garden, I found out that adding certain herbs and lavender to your raised garden beds is a great way to naturally get rid of some pests (like mosquitos!) without chemicals. I’ve also read that marigolds, garlic, and petunias are great additions to help keep aphids and Japanese beetles away. It is something that I definitely wish I would have known sooner. I made sure to make a note so I can plan better next year.

Our Beginner Gardening and Raised Garden Bed Tips / A Hosting Home BlogOur Beginner Gardening and Raised Garden Bed Tips / A Hosting Home Blog

Gardening on a Budget

In addition to sharing some beginner gardening tips, I was also asked to share any tips about gardening on a budget. I feel like this year was a little more expensive to get everything set up. However, I also think that it will be much cheaper next year as we just supplement the soil and compost.

One smaller way to save some money is to grow your plants from seeds / seed packets ($0.50 for multiple seeds) rather than buying the individual plants ($3.78 each) from Home Depot. Although it doesn’t seem like a big difference, it can definitely add up if you’re planning on gardening on a larger scale.

As I figure out more ways to garden on a budget, I’ll make sure to report back and let you know!

Photo via Linda Threadgill Photography

 

Well there you have it, friends! I hope that me sharing what I’ve learned so far in the world of gardening this summer will inspire you to give it a try yourself. Not only is it a practical way to cut down your grocery bill by growing your own vegetables, but it’s a therapeutic activity that just might lift your spirit this summer.

Do you have any gardening tips that you’d like to share? Leave a comment below!

 

Our Beginner Gardening and Raised Garden Bed Tips / A Hosting Home Blog

June 20, 2019

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Comments

  1. Chelsea says

    April 6, 2020 at 4:10 pm

    HI! wHERE DID YOU FIND YOUR METAL LATTICE?

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      April 7, 2020 at 3:58 pm

      Hi Chelsea, as you may have noticed under the photo, I used that photo and credited it to where I found it on Pinterest! We used wood lattice from Home Depot around our raised garden beds.

      Reply
    • Dawn says

      May 19, 2020 at 9:35 am

      The metal is called redress. Used in construction projects. You can purchase at home improvement stores. I foynd tgwm in long 10’ (?) sheets and had to cut down. AnOther option is to keep the lEngth and make it an arch Between beds and plant so tge veggies grow on tHe arch. ThiNk About placement so not blocking sun from other plants

      Reply
    • Steve says

      July 20, 2020 at 12:03 am

      Tractor Supply Company has cattle panels that are heavy-duty and are 16 feet by 50 inches @ $25 each. Unless you have a truck, it’s a challenge to get them home as they hardly bend. there are other options that come in rolls of 100 feet by 48″ which you can likely find at Lowe’s or Home depot besides TS. i had seen the cattle fencing detailed on a youtube gardening video that they bent into a high arch going from one bed to another.

      Reply
      • Carrie Driver says

        September 12, 2020 at 11:29 am

        We bought some hog wire from a Big R (similar to tractor supply) and they cut it for us, at no extra charge, since we didn’t have a trailer to haul it. You can call ahead and ask before making a trip and being disappointed.

        Reply
      • Pamela says

        March 8, 2021 at 11:31 am

        tractor supply also has handy panels which are 8 foot long cattle panels… much easier to transport. I had a bunch of stuff to get so rented a short term van and moved those and everything else in one move.

        Reply
    • MJ says

      March 15, 2022 at 9:35 pm

      Hi, that looks like cattle panels. You can Find them at Tractor supply or probably a Home depot.

      Reply
    • Macie Frederick says

      March 20, 2022 at 7:16 am

      You can find these at farm stores. Tractor Supply company is one where I live. You will find it in fencing as it is made to be moved for cattle and pigs.

      Reply
  2. Sysan MilLer says

    April 20, 2020 at 3:39 am

    The metal trellis look like cattle panels , can been found at farm stores Like TSC . Keep in mind metal can get very hot . They can also be bent over frOm bed to bed for a trellis with a lot strength . Hope this helps .

    Reply
  3. Kare says

    April 24, 2020 at 4:34 pm

    That May be goat wire, thats what I’m going to check on to use With my cucumbers.

    Reply
  4. Alice says

    May 17, 2020 at 8:50 am

    IF you’re looking tO garden on a budget, sharing seeds or plants is a great idea. Most people wont plant 25 zuchinni! If you have a farm cO-op nearby, buy your seeds there in bulk. The price difference is amazing.

    Reply
  5. Ren says

    September 11, 2020 at 9:33 pm

    I’d be reluctant to pour pickle juice ON anything but WEEDS that are downhill from anything you don’t want to kill so I’D ADVISE not trying it on your hydrangea or you’ll cry. Diy weed KILLER is 1 gal VINEGAR with 1 cup salt and 1 tsp Biodegradable dish soap. Use on driveway cracks, parking strips, gravel areas such as between the sidewalk and other landscaping, etc. But make sure it’s downhill from good plants or they’ll be burned too. Another great way to get weeds is a weed burner. Be sure to have an on hose at hand to douse the area after burning a few weeds for safety’s sake.

    Reply
  6. Sherian says

    January 25, 2021 at 3:10 pm

    You mentioned problems with your roses. I have had no problems since I planted garlic as comanion plant & banana peals are MUlched around them. Sometimes I even run a peal or two – with lots of water – in the blender and pour the liquid around the roses.

    Reply
  7. SheRi says

    February 21, 2021 at 6:27 pm

    SEven dust Kills hoNey bees. They even take it back to the hives And contaminate the honey. I would sugGest companion planting.

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      February 22, 2021 at 12:46 pm

      Thank you, Sheri! I did not know that. I will make sure to companion plant going forward.

      Reply
  8. tonia says

    March 2, 2021 at 1:04 pm

    We planted onions between any plants aphids love and helped keep that bay. something else to think about.

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      March 3, 2021 at 8:28 am

      Thank you, Tonia! 🙂

      Reply
  9. Carol says

    February 13, 2022 at 6:48 am

    My family has kept a spiral notebook just for the garden. one page for each year. diagram of garden, with what was planted in each row, at the top. then notes concerning the last frost time (we live in the north), whether it was rainy year or a dry one, crop failures, bugs, or anything else concerning the output of that year. handy to refer to for crop rotation or what plants not to get again.

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      February 13, 2022 at 11:25 am

      This is such an amazing idea, Carol! I think I may start doing that this year. We were just talking the other day about how it was hard to remember all that we did or what happened the previous year.

      Reply
  10. Debra says

    April 26, 2022 at 1:51 pm

    If you put salt in your coffee grounds to cut the bitter taste, do not put them in your garden! IT TAKES YEARS TO LEACH OUT OF THE SOIL OR THE SOIL MUST BE REPLACED. I LEARNED THE HARD WAY AS A NOVICE GARDNER YEARS AGO!

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      April 29, 2022 at 10:14 am

      Thank you for the tip, Debra!

      Reply

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Atlanta based Award Winning Interior and Event Designer and Home Blogger Cathy Nugent

Hi, friends! I'm Cathy, a nationally published award winning designer of spaces to gather and southern belle writer based out of a small(ish) town outside of Atlanta, Georgia. However, most people know me as the Monica Geller of my friend group – a coffee connoisseur and dog mom with a huge heart for hosting and an eye for design. The heart behind what I do is simple. I want to help you be intentional on creating spaces to gather and celebrating life's precious moments - whether that be weddings, parties, or something as simple as having loved ones in your home. Living Simply, Loving Generously, and Hosting with Heart.

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I’m not going to mind doing dishes with a pretty I’m not going to mind doing dishes with a pretty view like this. ✨💛 I hung these DARLING cafe curtains in my kitchen today, and I can’t get enough of the gold details with the rod, rings, and medallions. I still need to install cabinet hardware, but I’m really loving how everything is coming together in our new house. I’m feeling so inspired with embracing new styles and I hope you are too following along!  #ahostinghome 

Shared a closer look on stories today! Shop via @shop.ltk ➡️ https://liketk.it/3Futt #liketkit #shopltk #ltkhome

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Building raised garden beds and planting with a to Building raised garden beds and planting with a toddler who just wanted to  dig and bury tools and throw dirt everywhere was as about as chaotic as you could imagine. (Forget wood for a second, have you seen how expensive DIRT is this year?! 🤦🏼‍♀️) Rob built me raised beds at our old house after Layne passed away and learning to garden became such a labor of love for me. We really missed having a garden last summer after we sold our old house and moved into the rental, so we were so excited to get started and plan another set of raised beds for this year for the new house. It’s a start — and we can’t wait to expand this little garden area even more as we go. 💛🪴 Are you excited for your garden this year? What are you growing?! #ahostinghome 

#raisedbeds #raisedgardenbeds #raisedbedgarden #raisedgarden #raisedbedgardening #gardening #backyardgarden #bhghome #mybhg #bhglivebetter
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// shop via @shop.ltk ➡️ https://liketk.it/3EXef

// Color Details: Tricorn Black by @sherwinwilliams mixed in eggshell/satin in the Duration line // Walls are Extra White by #sherwinwilliamspaint 

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// shop via @shop.ltk here ➡️ https://liketk.it/3Ep2B

tags // #homedecor #homedesign #interiordesign #gallerywall #traditionalhome #traditionalhomedecor #transitionaldesign #transitionalstyle #transitionaldecor #diningroom #diningroomdecor #diningroomdesign #ltkhome #bhg #bhghome #bhgstyle #bhgstylemaker #bhglivebetter
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p.s. I’ve also got big plans to refinish these table and chairs soon! 😍

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Exterior Paint Colors—
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- Shutters & Door: Iron Ore by #sherwinwilliams 
- Cedar wood columns

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