The fear of failure in gardening is real and normal. We all wish to execute our respective visions to perfection, but sadly, there will be challenges along the way. Even if you did everything by the book, some things wouldn’t turn out the way you expect, and that’s okay – it’s part of your gardening journey.

Good thing that there are solutions to these problems and eco-friendly garden supplies to ease the burden. The comfort and convenience in gardening can be experienced with the help of some amazing garden tools. They are designed and built with gardeners in mind.

Top 5 Biggest Drawbacks to Starting a Garden

Time is the first requirement in gardening. From the planning stage to harvesting, a gardener needs effort and commitment to make your gardening journey a success. Check out our list below for the top five biggest problems that a gardener may encounter when starting a garden.

Commitment to Maintenance

From preparing the garden site for growing different vegetables to harvesting fruits and vegetables, it takes commitment to maintain a garden. Even the most casual of gardeners will spend a lot of time outdoors nurturing different plants, removing weeds, watering, and fertilizing the soil. It’s hard work! If you’re feeling overwhelmed with your garden tasks, you can always seek out a helping hand from friends and family members.

Gardening Expenses

Gardening isn’t cheap, especially if you care for a massive garden. Initially, you must buy high-quality gardening tools to prep the soil, build the garden beds, and buy soil conditioners or fertilizers to give plants the best start. You’ll also need to invest in protective structures like landscaping fabric, trellises, cloches, or cages to keep weeds at bay and encourage crops to bear more fruits. You’ll also spend money on a good irrigation system to reduce utility bills. If the cost of tending to a big garden is too much for your budget, you can always control its size to keep the expenses under control.

Constant Vigilance

Different plants grow at different times of the year, and one growing season can last for several months. The garden needs constant vigilance at any point of the growing season to decrease the risk of your precious crops dying on you. That means spending a lot of time checking the plants closely and leaving little room for me-time. If you’ll be away for a long time, it’s best to ask a friend or a neighbor to look after your plants.

Takes a Lot of Space

A garden can take up a portion of your outdoor space. That’s not to say you shouldn’t build a garden because you don’t have acres of space to spare. However, proper planning will be critical in ensuring that your garden will fit the available space. For tiny homes in urban areas, you can use a small slice of space by growing small plants like herbs in a container. Use trellises for creeping plants, and try growing different complementing plants in one large pot.

Hard on the Back

Bending, stooping, kneeling, digging, and carrying heavy objects are part of maintaining a garden. But if you have mobility issues, gardening can be hard on the back, arms, and knees! If you have mobility problems but still want to tend to a garden, use a design that will not aggravate your condition. Limiting the time spent gardening also reduces joint pain or potential injuries from gardening. Finally, take breaks anytime you feel tired.

How To Overcome Your Fear Of Gardening

Start with houseplants: If you are new to gardening, start by caring for houseplants first before you go around digging in the backyard and building a garden outdoors. Keeping a houseplant alive won’t take a lot of effort, and you’ll have plenty of time to hone your nurturing side. Plants need three things to thrive – soil, water, and sunlight. Be observant; check the type of soil and amount of sunlight a plant needs.

Move on to hard-to-kill plants: Once you are ready to branch out to outdoor plants, choose low-maintenance, hard-to-kill plants to start like:

• Snake plant
• Spider plant
• Aloe vera
• Rubber plant
• Pothos
• Philodendrons
• Herbs
• Succulents
• Cacti
• Swiss Cheese Plant
• ZZ Plant
• Dracaena Marginata

Again, be observant. Check if the plants are getting enough sunlight and water only when needed. Most hard-to-kill plants hate standing water, so you’re not required to water these plants every day.

Stop obsessing about perfection: No matter how vivid your vision of a perfect garden is, the reality will always be slightly different. Gardening isn’t about perfection; it’s not about winning the “Best Garden of the Year” award. It’s about nurturing living things, transforming a blank space into a thriving oasis bursting with life! Create a garden that grows with you, one that complements your space and makes the space look better.

Making a mistake is okay: You might feel like you’re wasting your effort growing the plants only to kill them by accident, but mistakes are a part of every gardening journey. No one got into this activity with all the gardening knowledge already in their heads – even the greatest gardeners of our time started as beginners. It will take a lot of trial and error to become good at nurturing plants.. What’s important is to learn from every mistake so you don’t repeat the same mistakes.

Consult an expert: If you’re dealing with gardening-related problems and are unsure how to fix them, consult with a local expert. You can turn to a gardener friend, a neighbor, or an employee at your local plant nursery. Trying different solutions on your own until the problem has been resolved is fine, but seeking advice will save you more time.

Invest in proper tools: You’re a more confident gardener if you have all the tools you need to keep your plants in tip-top shape. Using the wrong tools may harm your plants, and the last thing you want is to trigger an infestation because of the trauma you’ve inflicted on your precious perennials! Apart from the essential gardening tools like a spade, shovel, rake, etc., invest in loppers, hand pruners, a weeder, and garden shears.

It’s normal to have fears when doing something for the first time, like gardening. But as long as you are willing to try new things, learn a new way of doing things, and actively monitor the garden, your chances of success as a gardener are high.

Ready to start your gardening journey? Be sure to arm yourself with high-quality gardening tools. Choose a trusted online store that provides eco-friendly products. Shop at ECOgardener today for all your gardening needs.