Gardening - English

Gardening Techniques

Different gardening techniques help adapt gardens to various spaces and environments. Container gardening is useful for patios, balconies, and small yards where plants grow in pots or containers. Permaculture uses principles that mimic natural ecosystems, promoting sustainability and diversity. Vertical gardening allows plants to grow upwards using structures like trellises or walls—ideal for small or urban spaces. In dry regions, xeriscaping focuses on minimizing water use by choosing drought-resistant plants and reducing lawn areas.

• I started container gardening because I live in an apartment.
• Permaculture gardens attract more pollinators.
• Vertical gardening saves ground space.
• Xeriscaping is popular in the Southwest due to limited rainfall.

Gardening Tools and Supplies

Basic gardening tasks require suitable tools. Shovels, spades, and spading forks are for digging. Trowels are small hand tools perfect for planting and transplanting. Use a rake for gathering leaves or smoothing soil. Pruning shears trim branches and dead leaves. Gloves protect hands while handling soil or thorns. A hose or watering can delivers water to plants. Fertilizer helps plants grow healthier. For moving soil or compost, gardeners use a wheelbarrow.

• I use gloves and a trowel when planting seedlings.
• A spade is better than a shovel for edging a garden bed.
• The wheelbarrow makes carrying mulch easy.

Common Garden Plants

Gardens can have a wide range of plants. Annuals (like marigold and daisy) grow, flower, and die within one season. Perennials (such as rose, hydrangea, lilac, and asparagus) return year after year. Fruits like blueberry, strawberry, peach, and pear are popular in home gardens, as are vegetables like carrot and tomato. Some plants are drought-resistant (require little water), while others are shade-loving (thrive in less sunlight). Plants like mint and mulch (material spread over soil to retain moisture) are common. Evergreen plants keep their leaves year-round; daffodil is a favorite spring flower.

• Blueberries and strawberries grow well in acidic soil.
• Perennials like roses bloom each year.
• Drought-resistant plants are ideal during water restrictions.
• Hydrangea and lilac need some shade to flourish.

The Gardening Process

Basic gardening actions have specific verbs. To plant is to put seeds or young plants into soil. To amend means to improve garden soil, often with compost or fertilizer. To cultivate is to prepare and work the soil for planting. To fertilize adds nutrients. To prune is to cut plants for healthy growth. To mulch is to spread material over soil. Use a rake to clean up. To harvest is to collect ripe fruits or vegetables. To compost is to recycle garden and kitchen waste.

• I mulch the bed to keep weeds down.
• After harvesting tomatoes, I compost the old plants.
• We amended the soil before planting carrots.
• Prune roses in early spring for best blooms.

Plant Condition

Describing how plants look or react to conditions is key for gardeners. Healthy plants may flourish, while those deprived of water can dry out, wilt, or wither. Regular watering and proper care ensure plants thrive.

• Without enough water, the daffodils wilt quickly.
• The marigolds flourish in full sun.
• If left unwatered, tomatoes will dry out and wither.

Plant Propagation Methods

Growing new plants can be done in several ways. To seed is to grow plants from seeds. To divide is to separate part of a plant to start a new one, common with perennials. To graft joins parts of two plants for better fruit or disease resistance. To transplant is to move a plant from one place to another. To propagate covers all methods used to create new plants.

• We propagate mint by taking cuttings.
• Gardeners often divide perennials in spring.
• Grafting peach trees helps improve their fruit quality.
• It's important to transplant seedlings gently.