PLANT IT
I include 3 plants in my garden and it takes care of itself – you’ll get more fruits and veggies with minimal fuss
There are experts and data to back up her hacks
A GREEN thumb has given her top advice for keeping her garden at its best.
She said that three special types of plants make her yard work less fuss.
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Julia Gartha (@wildlybountifulgarden) demonstrated her gardening hack in a viral Reel on Instagram.
She said planting her three go-to seeds will give you a low-maintenance garden — a horticulturist's dream.
Gartha confirmed it is possible to keep a yard looking fresh with less headache.
"Just plant these three types of plants, and watch your garden thrive with minimal fuss," she said.
READ MORE GARDENING TIPS
PLANT THE SEEDS
Gartha stressed the importance of attracting pollinators to any garden.
She said "zinnias, bee balm, and sunflowers" make good choices.
She added that more pollination equals healthier plants and an improved garden.
The USDA agrees, noting that pollinators promote the growth of various edible plants.
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"Pollinators like honeybees, butterflies, birds, bats, and other animals are hard at work providing vital but often unnoticed services," the USDA said.
"They pollinate crops like apples, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, melon, peaches, potatoes, vanilla, almonds, coffee, and chocolate."
My neighbours think I've lost the plot when I start HOOVERING my front garden - but I'm just getting it ready for spring
GET OFF MY LAWN
Gartha also recommended plants that are sure to keep garden-harming pests at bay.
She included repellents such as "marigolds, chives, garlic, thyme, and sage."
Research Horticulturist Dr. Eric Brennan told the USDA more about plant-pest relations.
"Probably the most important advice is to pay attention to what's going on in your garden," he said.
"When you see something, be it an insect or some other organism, try to figure out what it's doing and why it's there."
Tips for keeping pests from your garden
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- Plant companion plants such as peppermint to repel rats.
- Place Garden Netting Pest Barrier, $8, Amazon, over your flowerbeds.
- Fill open-top containers with beer and place in soil to repel slugs.
- Spray plants with Neem Oil, $9, Target, to repel ants, flies, and spiders.
- Dust your flowerbeds with Diatomaceous Earth, $8.26, Amazon.
- Mix 1 tablespoon dish soap, 10 drops peppermint oil, and 4 cups water and spray on flowerbeds.
- Place eggshells around your plants to protect from slugs and snails.
Dr. Brennan gave the example of trying his own advice in his personal garden.
"I recently learned that paper wasps were helping to control caterpillar pests on my kale that I had growing in my front yard," he said.
"I figured that out when I was harvesting kale one day and a wasp landed on some kale that I was holding and grabbed a caterpillar larvae and flew off with it. Wow, that was cool."
STAY GROUNDED
Gartha also recommended a gardening tip for tastier crops and even soil improvement.
She advised maintaining nitrogen levels by planting seeds that draw it out.
She gave examples of "legumes like peas and beans" as potential "nitrogen fixers."
The USDA also confirms Gartha's hack, explaining why legumes are perfect for this purpose.
"In agriculture, the most important nitrogen-fixing bacteria are called rhizobia because they form a very close symbiotic relationship with leguminous plants," their website reads.
"Many leguminous plants are important crops."
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