Best Time to Start Gardening

The first and the most obvious question that often comes to our mind regarding gardening is when to start it. Many times we simply keep postponing the process just because we don't know the right answer to this question. We keep on waiting for the right weather or buy out of season plants and they soon wither away, do not flourish properly or eventually die and then the motivation we had for gardening gradually fades away. To avoid this, it is important to know what is the right time to start planting and also right season for every particular plant so that our "Paudhayan" remains green throughout the year.

In one line, I would say that the best time to start your own "Paudhayan" is right now. You can start it anytime… in any season… in any way (seeds, plants, nodes, twigs or cuttings). Having said that...

If you are completely new to this task, try not to plant any new plant during extreme weather conditions... scorching heat, chilling cold or downpour. Plant trees when the weather is normal, temperature is average and the humidity level in the air is neither too high nor too low. it will significantly increase their chances of being happy and healthy even with little care and attention.

Whenever you start gardening, always remember to choose your plants according to the weather, temperature and moisture level at the time. This is not as difficult as it sounds. After spending some time with them you will know the right season for your plants. I will share some experiences of mine.

First, there are seasonal plants that thrive in a particular season. After blooming, they bear fruits, make seeds and then wither away in 2-4 months. Small bushes and vines of seasonal flowers, fruits and vegetables generally belong to this category. Best time to buy these plants is at the very beginning of their season so they have plenty of time to flourish. For example, if you want to buy winter season flowers, then buy them just before the beginning of winter… when the rains have ended, level of humidity in the air is average and winter is just about to come, i.e., the season of autumn… the month of October. Bring in winter plants, seeds, seedlings or bulbs this season. Like Sevanti, Kalanchoe, Zinnia, Petunia, Marigold, Rose etc. flowers or vegetables like carrot, beetroot, radish, spinach, cabbage, brinjal, etc. By winter they will be nice and green and will continue to thrive all season long. Do not buy winter plants after January. At that time these plants would definitely be laden with fruits and flowers but their lifespan would have been very short. Then as February approaches, they will start shedding flowers and leaves and will die after spending all their energy in making seeds.

This is to be remembered for every seasonal plant. As far as possible, summer plants should be brought and planted just before the onset of summer and winter plants should be planted just before the onset of winter.

Some other plants live throughout the year but they bloom and blossom in a specific time and season. You have to take care of these plants throughout the year and as soon as the weather becomes favorable, they start blooming themselves. For example, 9 O'Clock (Portulaca) plants just remain alive in winter or may occasionally produce one or 2 flowers here and there but as soon as the summer knocks they start blooming in abundance. The Rain Lily (Zephryanthes) blooms when it rains. But it remains green throughout the year with proper watering or just hides under the ground after shedding all its leaves when rainy season is over. Similarly, Kalanchoe and Chrysanthemum bloom profusely in winter and when the summer arrives, they just stop producing flowers. Mango bears fruit in summer and Guava in winter. It is also best to bring such plants to your home at the beginning of their season. If brought out of season, you may have to wait a long time to see them grow. Or you have to artificially create a favorable environment for them at home, which is a very expensive and cumbersome process.

Then there are perennial plants too (Thank God!!). They can bloom and blossom after maturity in any season. Evergreens like Banana, Papaya, Pineapple, Custard Apple etc belong to this category of plants. These can be planted in any season provided they are taken proper care of according to the weather. But if you are in the initial stages of gardening then avoid harsh winters or summers to plant these. Try to plant them in Autumn or Spring instead. Their chances of survival will be higher this time and they will remain happy even with very little care and attention.

So far we have talked mainly about fruits, flowers and vegetables. Its very easy to guess their season. Their branches bowed with fruits and flowers show off as silently screaming that this is our season… this is our season! just watch us bloom... After this we will be thrown into some corner of the Paudhayn, we will stand abandoned and neglected, denying our own existence, waiting for the next season to come.

But it is not as easy to guess the right time to plant many ferns and ornamental plants as they do not produce flowers and fruits or even if they do, they are not very special or visible. Such ornamental plants find their place in homes for their attractive colorful leaves or their different shapes and textures. These plants also come in many varieties and belong to very different climates and temperatures.

generally, water-loving plants such as Caladiums and many ferns like to be planted in rainy season. They produce plenty of leaves in the rains. Plant all these in the last days of summer (just when you start tracking monsoon in Google) and bury them in the potting soil or ground. They will flourish during the rains and will remain happy till winter or in some case even until summer.

Plants that prefer average amount of sunlight and water such as Croton, Coleus, Chinese Evergreen, Dumb Cane, Calathea and so on; prefer winters of all the seasons. Because at this time the humidity level is the lowest in the air, so there is no risk of rotting the roots and the sun is not strong enough to burn or discolor their leaves. Moderate sunlight reduces evaporation too so watering even twice a week is more than sufficient.

These plants can be planted any time after the end of the rains till the spring. In places where the temperature drops significantly in winter, plant them in spring (March). Places where the summer is harsh, its better to plant them in autumn (October). Just keep in mind to protect them from frost and snow during winters by taking them inside and to take special care of them during extreme summers too. With little care and proper attention according to the weather and climatic conditions, they can be planted any time of the year.

Its a matter of fact that such perennial plants also have a definite season and time for growing, blooming and reproducing (if you are not a resident of the equatorial region where the weather remains almost the same throughout the year). If your plant did not grow for months, it may be because its season is yet to arrive or it is not receiving the right amount of sun and water.

Cacti and Succulents are considered to be the easiest of all the plants but they also have to be taken care of in case of heavy rainfall or winter. These plants become dormant in winter, means their growth stops completely during cold weather. The best season to plant them is in spring... when winter is over and summer is just around the corner (Month of March). Cacti and succulents come out of dormancy and start growing in this season. If you are in a place where the temperature goes above 40 degree Celsius in summer then do not buy them in the summer because they won't get sufficient time to adjust and even with slightest imbalance in watering, they will rot. Yes, you heard it right! without proper care, cacti rot even in the summer, in fact especially in the summer. So bring new Cacti and succulents in spring. This way the plant will adjust to its new environment and will thrive eventually.

So friends, you saw that seasonal plants should be planted at the very beginning of their season. Perennial plants can be planted anytime over the year. And in case of any doubt about a new plant or species, plant it in the spring or autumn and your garden will never fail you.