From Seed to Table: 5 Pro Tips for Designing Your Dream Home Garden - Page 4

4. Tend to your soil regularly.

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Soil health is the foundation of any thriving garden, and ongoing care is essential to keep things growing strong. Be sure to regularly deadhead (remove faded or spent ends) to promote new blooms. Pruning is another vital task that encourages healthy growth, helps shape plants, and removes any dead or damaged branches.

Always use clean, sharp tools when pruning to prevent injury to the plant. Also, regularly inspect your crops for dead, diseased, or damaged branches and remove them to maintain overall plant health.

While some insects are beneficial to your garden, pests can wreak havoc and stunt the growth of your crops. Keep a close eye on your plants for signs of trouble, such as holes in leaves, yellowing, or wilting. The good news is, there are plenty of natural, eco-friendly methods to keep pests in check without resorting to harmful chemicals. 

You can also use natural pesticides, like neem oil or insecticidal soap, to keep unwanted bugs out of your garden and that won’t harm the growth of your fruits and veggies, according to Eat Right. Neem oil works as a natural repellent and disrupts the life cycle of insects, while insecticidal soap targets soft-bodied pests like aphids and spider mites. Both are safe for most plants and a great alternative to harsh chemicals.

Alternatively, you can invite beneficial insects into your garden, like ladybugs, which feast on aphids and other pests.