A Guide for Gardening Novices

Summary: For those of you in the process of becoming a gardener, here are a few things that will provide you with at least some of the knowledge required. Should all your efforts fail and you are forced to come to the conclusion that gardening is not your forte, fret not; at the very least you will be able to contribute to the conversation next time the topic comes up!

Our gardening column is published every Tuesday on OttawaStart. Read previous columns here.

As is the case with most things in life, gardening is a process of trial and error – or to quote the title of British TV-gardener Alan Titchmarsh’s book - a process of “Trowel and Error”. There is no such thing as waking up one day realizing you’re a “green expert”. Instead, you – literally – dig through piles of soil and learn as you go. Gardening is like any other hobby or profession; it consists of 90% dedication, perspiration, eagerness to learn, love of what you are doing, and 10% talent. No need to fret though; even without the 10% talent, you could end up being a very successful gardener, as long as you enjoy it.

For those of you in the process of becoming a gardener, here are a few things that will provide you with at least some of the knowledge required. Should all your efforts fail and you are forced to come to the conclusion that gardening is not your forte, fret not; at the very least you will be able to contribute to the conversation next time the topic comes up!
Let’s start with some good dirt – no pun intended! Here are some widespread garden misconceptions that have been around for a long time. If you ever catch a neighbour or relative spreading these fabrications, stay away from their advice; obviously, their knowledge of gardening is minimal to non-existant. When confronted with this type of advice, the best thing to do is mutter something about “having to dust the grass” and gracefully exit the scene of the conversation.

Misconception #1: “Pesticides only kill pests."
Wrong. Pesticides work wherever they are applied and will kill more than just pests. Insecticides will not only kill detrimental insects but also the beneficial ones (the ones you want to have around in your garden). The same also goes for slug baits and rodent baits, which could kill pets. Herbicides (weed-killers) are not very picky either and unless you take the necessary precautions when applying them, you will end up killing your weeds as well as the perennials that surround them.

Misconception #2: “I have brought you some plants from my garden”
Extreme caution is required! You have found yourself in a hazardous situation that requires swift, yet polite action on your part. The misconception here is this: on the whole, people do not give away price-winning rosebushes. Instead, what you end up with are plants that either seed themselves all over the place or spread like crazy. Either way, the plants in question have clearly become a nuisance to their owners who are now more than willing to give them away. The best way out of this situation is to accept the plants and toss them in the garbage can as soon as the plant-donor has left the premises. Next time you see him or her, tell them the plants did not survive (and wait for it: they will bring you more of the same plants - which proves my theory!).

Misconception #3: “Watering on a hot day”
Whenever you see one of your neighbours water their lawn around noon on a hot day, make a mental note to yourself never ever to ask that person for gardening advice. Most of the water they think they are using for the lawn evaporates before it does anything and basically, what they are doing is wasting water. There is nothing wrong with watering your lawn or your plants on a hot day – on the contrary – but noon is not exactly the appropriate time to do it (and that’s an understatement). Early in the morning is preferable but - since for most people that is also a very busy time of day - watering in the evening is perfectly acceptable too. The difference between morning and evening is that plant will dry during the day, whereas they stay wet overnight and thereby run the risk of catching fungal infections.

Stay clear from the above misconceptions and half the battle is won! To make your lives even easier, here is my personal “Top 5 of Easy to Grow Plants That Will Never Become A Nuisance”:

Daffodils – all you need to do is ensure that you don’t plant them upside-down (in case of doubt, plant bulbs sideways – success guaranteed!) and you will be fine. Daffodils require very little maintenance and can easily outlive us. They do spread but they are modest about it and they never become a nuisance.
Ornamental grasses – they will grow in poorer soil than most perennials, require very little maintenance and their seed heads and foliage add fall and winter interest to your garden. Examples of reliably hardy and clump-forming grasses (as opposed to spreading grasses) are Calamagrostis (feather reed grass), Miscanthus (maiden grass), Deschampsia (tufted hair grass) and Helictotrichon (blue oat grass).
Geraniums – not the ones you plant in pots for the summer (their correct name is actually not Geranium at all, but Pelargonium) but the hardy perennial geranium or Crane’s-bill. The Geranium comes in a wide range of heights and colours, and is one of the easiest plants to grow.
Lady’s Mantle – or Alchemilla mollis – is another modest and tidy plant that will just do its thing in your garden without ever bugging you (or your neighbours). Yellowy-green flowers in June and July, beautiful foliage and tough as nails.
Sempervivum – commonly referred to as hens and chicks – will grow virtually anywhere and although it spreads, you will never run into problems with this plant. Drought-tolerant, it requires little to no maintenance and is probably the easiest garden companion you could wish for.

When visiting your local nursery or garden centre, watch out for these traps:

Beware of plants that are advertised as “living carpet” or “excellent replacement for lawns”. Most of them have trouble written all over their innocent looking leaves; the reason they are referred to as “carpet” is that they are very invasive. To be more precise, they will not stop spreading when they encounter your pricy perennials or your property line.
Anything that has been labeled “Guaranteed for this season only”. Leave it alone; it is not hardy and will not survive the winter. Hardy plants come with a one-year full warranty that enables you to return its remains in case it does not survive the winter (which – although they are supposed to be hardy – can sometimes happen).
Any “super-sales” that look limp, dried-out, have yellow leaves or speckled leaves (unless it is a variegated plant variety), or have roots that have grown out of the little holes in the bottom of the pot (a sign that the plant has been in its current pot too long and has become “pot-bound”, a condition where the roots have started to grow around in circles, which will make it hard for the plant to establish in your garden).

To be continued next week…

Until then, happy gardening!

René Trim

Do you have a gardening question for René? Send it to us, and he'll try to answer it in his next column.
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About René
René Trim was educated and trained in The Netherlands, before moving to Canada in 2000. After studying the differences in climate and season faced by Ontario gardeners he established Trim Garden Design and Rescue in May 2002. A gardener since the 1980’s, he has a wealth of knowledge and experience, a vast library of reference materials from which to draw answers to various garden situations as well as an enthusiastic and professional staff.

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