A flourishing garden is something that many desire to have as an outdoor feature at home. Not only is a garden an aesthetic addition to any house, but it can also be useful and produce fruits, vegetables, and beautiful flowers that will continue to flourish each year. Unfortunately, some aspiring gardeners may lack the knowledge that they need to produce a high-yielding garden, which becomes frustrating as seasons go by.
Keep on reading to learn how, by using the 23 simple methods below, you can improve your skills and help your garden explode with vitality. Soon you will be able to harvest from your plot and fill your kitchen with delights just like the most experienced of gardeners.
Practice High-Intensity Gardening
One of the best methods that you can use to improve your green thumb is to practice high-intensity gardening. This technique means providing a space in which plants have the maximum ability to thrive and grow.
You can practice high-intensity gardening by:
- Using the minimum distance between your plants as stated on the package, allowing for a large amount of flora to occupy your garden
- Arranging your plants in tight-knit rows rather than wide blocks for easy harvesting
If all goes well, this method of growing will produce twice as much as a garden that provides more space. It should be easy and quick to harvest the crops that result from this method. When this method starts yielding results, you will appreciate the quicker harvesting.
Be careful when using this method, as you want to find the right balance between growing your crops closely and not suffocating them so that they are competing for resources.
Start Growing Early and Stop Late
When trying to produce a high-yielding crop, you should aim to stay ahead of the curve in the time that you start and end your garden for the season. Plant earlier than anticipated and expect to continue to harvest your garden space until after the season ends for your plants.
Though some plants thrive in cool weather, most need to be put into the ground at the tail end of winter to sprout by spring. To produce the maximum amount of fruits and vegetables, you will need to plant:
- At the end of January, if you live in a warmer climate that will not kill the plants before they can grow. It’s best to wait for the last frost before you start planting outdoors
- At the beginning of February, if the area you are in needs a little more time to warm up to keep the plants safe
Once you have harvested all that your crops have to offer, you can start to wind down your gardening activities in the fall. Most gardeners stop harvesting at the end of summer. However, preparing your plants for the winter so soon might cause a gardener to miss a final round of production. If you want a high yield, it is best to anticipate all potential harvests.
Choose High-Yielding Vegetable and Fruit Varieties
Some fruits and vegetable varieties produce more than others, but this can also depend on your land and climate. You should do your research before picking any plant if you want to make sure that the type you choose will leave you with a large harvest once the fruits and vegetables are ready to be picked.
Some of the fruit plants that produce large harvests include:
- Blackberries
- Raspberries
- Nectarines
- Tomatoes
Some vegetable plants that produce the most abundant amount of produce include:
- Cucumbers
- Squash and zucchini
- Onions
- Peppers
By choosing these plants, you will maximize the amount of produce that comes out of your garden. You will have plenty to sell, eat, or cook with as you please for as long as you can keep your garden flourishing.
Water Your Plants the Right Way
Watering is a critical part of the growing process that many amateur gardeners tend to overlook. Too much water and you can drown the plants in your garden. Too little, and the plants will not receive enough hydration to produce much fruit and veggies.
To produce a high-yielding crop, you have to understand the correct way to water your plants. Great watering methods can include:
- Watering in the morning, before the sun has risen and dried out your plants
- Aiming for the roots and giving them enough water to last only a few watering sessions throughout the day
- Investing in an irrigation system that can hydrate your plants on a regular interval
- Only watering your plant when the top 1-2 inches are dry, to avoid waterlogging
Taking the time to understand and master the watering schedule for your flora is critical.
Harvest Right When Fruits and Vegetables are Ready
Do not harvest your fruits and vegetables before they are just right for the picking. In the same way, do not wait too long before you gather your crops. If you are too early, you might damage your flora. If you are too late, fruit and veggies might rot and fall to the ground before you get the chance to gather them.
You can make sure that it is the right time by:
- Feeling the fruit or vegetable, as a certain level of give indicates whether or not it is ready to be harvested
- Note the color, as many fruits and vegetables change color when they are ripe
- Do your research so that you have a general idea of how long crops take to grow
Gathering your harvest when the time is right will ensure that you have a high-yielding garden. This strategy is an important tip to keep in the back of your mind as you grow.
Plant the Right Type of Crop in the Right Places
Certain types of plants flourish in certain variations of light and temperature. If you want to maximize what you get out of your garden, you need to make sure that you acknowledge this when you plant.
Before or after investing in a plant, conduct some research to see the climate that it prefers. This work will help you determine whether you need to place it in a sunshine-filled part of your yard or one with shade, since some plants like full sun, while others prefer partial sun.
Sunny Parts of Your Garden
The sunny parts of your garden should be in a location that is hit with direct light constantly.
Some of the most common plants that seek out sunlight constantly are:
- Cucumbers
- Tomatoes
- Corn
- Eggplants
These crops will thrive in the sun, and you should take care to research others that prefer this type of weather.
Shady Parts of Your Garden
On the other hand, you should also have a portion of your garden that has minimal sunlight.
Some of the most common plants that do well in partial sun or shaded areas include:
- Kale
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Carrots
Many others thrive in the shade. Do your research before you pick your plants to give yourself a high crop yield.
Use Companion Plants to Increase Efficiency
Companion plants can help your crops to grow faster and healthier. They assist in pollination, pest prevention, weed control, and much more. Plants that work well with each other can produce more crops and save you money as you create your ideal garden.
Some of the best companion plants include:
- Carrots and tomatoes
- Cucumbers and peas
- Lettuce and chives
You can research companion plants for the flora that you intend to use in your garden. There is plenty of information out there that will help you to make your new garden more efficient and productive.
Create an Indoor Seed Germination Station
Seed germination hydrates the seed, increases respiratory abilities, and sparks metabolic processes. Once this happens, the seed should be planted.
You can form an indoor seed germination station by:
- Investing in a rack with multiple shelves and a warming lamp
- Filling many pots with soil and a drainage system
- Planting the seeds
- Keeping them moist and warm, not in direct sunlight
Creating an indoor seed germination station can allow you to prep your plants before the growing season even begins. You can prep your plants inside before transplanting them outdoors to create the ultimate garden.
Harden Off Plants Properly When Transitioning
Hardening off plants is necessary to protect them if there is a transition in the area that they are located. Seedlings often will die if they are not exposed to this process when they are moved from an indoor location to an outdoor one.
To harden plants, a gardener should:
- Set plants outdoor on a warm day for an hour or so
- Repeat this process, increasing the length of time the plant spends outdoors
- Increase the amount of sunlight the plant receives over time
After about two weeks, the plants should be more accustomed to the weather and sunlight. You can then move these plants outdoors permanently.
Plant Vertically Using Trellises
Vertical planting can help a garden in a couple of ways. It helps to save room in the beds, it allows the plants to push closer to the sun, and it provides support to plants that tend to topple. There is also a certain aesthetic that comes with the art of vertical planting.
A gardener can plant vertically by using:
- Metal posts that can be arranged in a manner that allows for plant growth
- Trellises, which come in a variety of sizes for any type of garden
- Arbors, which can also serve as an entrance
- Cages, which have many different sizes and places for flora to grip
Vertical planting is a unique experience that is great if you would like to improve the space in your garden. This method can contribute to an increase in the yield that your crop produces.
Plant the Right Plants for the Right Seasons
Certain plants flourish in different seasons. Making sure that you choose the right time of year for certain crops will ensure that they produce the maximum number of fruits and vegetables when they flourish.
The best crops that grow in the colder seasons include:
- Garlic
- Leeks
- Spinach
- Chard
The best crops that grow in the warmer seasons include:
- Strawberries
- Blackberries
- Tomatoes
- Zucchini
Do your research, as always, to make sure that you are familiar with the weather your plant requires. By planning carefully, you can have different plants growing year-round in your garden.
Enrich Your Soil with Compost
Enriched soil can provide your plants with extra nutrients that they need to grow effectively.
One great way to enrich your soil is by using compost, which is a mixture that is comprised of:
- Decomposing food and plant material
- Soil
- Natural bugs and other decomposers
Compost can be mixed in with the soil in your garden bed to enrich the plants that are coming in. This can be repeated as many times as is necessary, but the gardener must take care to keep the plants safe when the soil is turned.
Use the Right Fertilizers at the Right Times
Fertilizers can be beneficial to crops. They provide the plants with nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium. There are many kinds of fertilizers, which need to be used strategically to help with maximum crop yield.
The types of fertilizer and the times in which they should be used include:
- Nitrogen fertilizers, which should be used in the middle portions of a plant’s life
- Phosphate fertilizers, which should be used throughout the lifespan of your garden plants
- Potassium fertilizers, which should be used throughout the plant’s lifespan
Fertilizers will help you keep your plants strong, let them produce an abundance of fruits and veggies, and prevent them from falling into any kind of deficiency. A beginner gardener should become familiar with these as they grow.
Grow Vegetables and Fruits in Raised Beds
A typical garden is planted in a bed and constructed from a variety of materials. The best garden beds for producing a large crop yield are those that are raised. Though this may not be an obvious choice, the raised beds can provide many benefits for plants, which include
- A decrease in the number of weeds that invade the garden as they have a harder time growing
- Increased drainage for the plants, preventing overwatering and drowning the flora
- Protections against invasive garden pests, such as slugs or snails that cannot scale the tall walls
A raised bed takes a little more work, but it pays off for any gardener that would like to grow high-yielding crops.
Use Succession Planting Techniques
Succession planting is a process that involves spacing out the timing of planting. This can be done in a variety of different ways to maximize the number of crops that come from your garden.
Succession planting can be done by using:
- Seasonal planting, where the summer crops are removed to make room for the winter crops once they are done producing
- Planting with a quick-growing plant so that multiple rows can be harvested as new crops are planted
Succession planting is great for those who are up for being deeply involved in the process of planting and harvesting. It will keep a gardener busy year-round but will produce a high yield in a short amount of time.
Prune Your Plants
Though it may seem odd, pruning your plants can help increase the amount of produce your plants grow. It allows for new growth on the plant, which can in turn allow for the growth of even more crops.
You can prune your plants properly by:
- Investing in pruning shears or a nice pair of garden scissors
- Looking for dead branches and buds
- Trimming is an effective method, not too much and not too little
You should prune your plants at least five times a year. If you only grow in the summer, this can be done even less frequently. If you have trees, you should prune them more regularly.
Encourage Pollinators to Visit Your Garden
You should try your best to attract pollinators, such as honeybees or butterflies, to your garden to help assist in the growth of your plants. They can help your plants flourish, allow for fruit and vegetables to grow, and even rid your space of pests that attempt to invade your thriving flora.
You can encourage pollinators to visit your garden in a variety of natural ways. Some of these include using:
- Shelter, so that pollinators have a way to rest
- Flowers, which can be placed nearby
- Bright color, which allows pollinators with limited vision to center on their target
Pollinators will help your garden thrive for years to come. If you can successfully attract them to your garden, it will be beneficial in a number of different ways for any level of gardener.
Add Mulch to Help with Heat and Moisture Retention
Mulch is a natural product that goes on the surface of your garden bed. It is typically made from a thicker material than the soil such as bark, grass clippings, or straw. This material is cheap and can protect your plants in a variety of ways.
Some forms of protections that mulch provides includes:
- Protection from the heat
- Water retention
- Weed prevention
You can invest in mulch from a gardening store, or you can make it yourself. It is a great item for any level of a gardener to use to prevent natural sources from wreaking havoc on your plant beds.
Mulch is an excellent final step as your plants start to grow. It seals the surface and allows them to retain as much from the soil as they possibly can.
Prevent Unwanted Pests
Pests, such as slugs and snails, will eat your plants before they can produce anything. They also snack on and destroy the crops as they sit on the plant before you can harvest them.
Pesticides work, but they can be poisonous to both your plants and the people that eat them. Prevent pests in natural ways such as:
- Planting strong-scented herbs that drive away bugs
- Rotating crops
- Being proactive and constantly checking your plants from pests, then taking action
- Using natural pesticides
Pests are a pain, but by being vigilant they should not cause too much damage to your plants. On rare occasions, they can even bring helpful pollinators to your garden.
Use the Right Soil Mixes for the Right Plants
Soil mixes may vary for different types of plants. Select the best one to give your flora the best shot at producing high-yielding crops. The different kinds of soil will contain varying levels of nutrients and density, which interact with plants in a variety of ways.
Some of the most commonly used soil mixes in the gardening world include:
- Mixtures including peat moss and compost
- Mixtures including topsoil and organic matter
- Standard bagged soil that can be purchased at your local nursery
There is typically advice both on the bags of the soil you can purchase as well as online for what plants thrive with each soil. You can even make your mix using a variety of products.
Use a Greenhouse to Grow Year-Round
A greenhouse is a structure made out of glass that can be used to grow plants year-round. The glass allows for the warmth of the sun to penetrate the space but keeps the frigid temperatures of the winter and fall outside.
By growing inside of a greenhouse, gardeners can:
- Protect plants that are sensitive to temperature changes
- Harvest crops year-round
- Maximize the harvest yield as crops are produced in colder months
A greenhouse is a bit of an investment, but for those who want to increase their yield, it makes sense to build or purchase this structure. This structure provides an excellent solution for those who want to garden in all types of climates.
For those who cannot afford a greenhouse, you might try to create an indoor garden or invest in a grow tent. Heat lamps and windowsills provide an alternative solution for those who want to challenge their green thumb in these cool times of the year.
Manage Your Soil’s pH Levels
The ideal soil pH for growing plants is somewhere between 6.0 and 7.0. This will allow for the largest crop yield once the plants start to produce in the spring. It is important to monitor your soil’s pH levels at every step of the growing process and make any necessary adjustments.
You can measure the soil’s pH level by:
- Investing in a soil pH measurer
- Purchasing a pH test kit
- Using a homemade vinegar method to test the acidity
It is important to keep your soil’s pH level in check. This often goes unnoticed and can drastically affect the fruit and veggies that are produced. Plants thrive in soil that leans toward the acidic side of the scale. You should take care to make sure that your soil does not go in the other direction as you grow more plants.
Get Rid of Weeds
Weeds are one of the biggest killers of thriving plants. The moment that they begin to invade your garden, it is super important that you dispose of them in a way that will prevent them from immediately growing back and killing your flora.
You can prevent future growth of weeds in your garden by:
- Ensuring that you pull out weeds by the root, preventing regrowth of that particular invasive plant
- Using coffee grounds to keep weeds away
- Water your plants, not the weeds
If you are unfamiliar with the look of weeds, they are typically characterized by spikes and leaves that have ridges and divots. When you buy a plant take note of what it looks like. If there is a plant in your bed that you did not buy, chances are that it is an invasive weed.
Ridding your garden of invasive plants will allow for a high yield, as your plants will not be competing for resources. Your fruits and vegetables will not be choked out by flora that should not be there in the first place, and you will also be able to keep your space beautiful and flourishing.