To keep a healthy garden, you have to keep the soil healthy, making sure there is enough moisture and plenty of nutrients for the plants to feed on.  For this reason, the simple practices of watering and fertilizing your soil are not as easy as opening a bag or turning on a hose.  Here are a few tips on what to avoid in the process.

Fertilizing

1. When it comes to chemical fertilizers, it’s just not worth it.  There is never enough time for companies to test the long-term effects of fertilizers on our health and the environment.  It’s better not to test it yourself: use an organic fertilizer instead.

2. Don’t go in blind.  Fertilizers can be complicated with their formulas and the distribution of nutrients.  If you aren’t sure what’s right for whatever you’re growing, get help from someone who’s had success with a garden in the past.

3. Before opting for a store-bought organic option, see if you can make it on your own.  You may save a lot of money and learn invaluable lessons, while using materials you once considered trash for fertilizer.

Watering

1. When giving your soil water, don’t be topical.  Water needs to go down well into the soil, so make sure there is a good amount of water that can reach into the depths, where the roots need moisture.

2. Don’t be a late sleeper.  Watering your garden in mid-day is a terrible idea, because the sun and heat will lead to quick evaporation.  Do it in the evening after dark, or early in the morning.

3. Less is usually more.  Think of watering the garden like getting a haircut: you can always do more to fix it, but once you’ve let it go it won’t come back.  Being conservative is the idea: adding water to slightly parched plants will cure their defects, but over-watering can be the end of them.