Gardening is one of those hobbies where you are continually learning new techniques and accumulating knowledge about plants and how they grow. Whether it’s a tip you picked up from a neighbor or something you read in a magazine or website, all help you on your way from being a novice gardener to acquiring a true green thumb. I came across these ten tips in an article on the Garden Lovers Club website.

Gardening is a fun and relaxing hobby that produces everything from delicious herbs and scrumptious foods to medicinal plants and fragrant flowers. Whether you are a novice looking for tips or an expert looking to improve your technique, in this video by California Gardening ?you?ll find some advice that will help your garden thrive.

1. Use Beneficial Bacteria

Not all bacteria is bad for your garden! Seaweed fertilizers and fish emulsions contain a multitude of good bacteria. Simply add two tablespoons of fish emulsion and two tablespoons of seaweed fertilizer to a two-gallon watering can, fill the rest with water and pour the mixture over your potting soil. The beneficial bacteria will get to work instantly, creating a vibrant soil culture which will help your plants grow huge and healthy.

2. Make Sure Your Seeds are Viable

Nothing is more frustrating than spending time and money cultivating seeds and never seeing any results. Checking for seed viability will save efforts that would otherwise be wasted on seed duds. All you need to test seeds in a moist paper towel and an air-tight container, any Tupperware container with a tight lid will do. Cover the bottom of the container with a moist paper towel, sprinkle a few seeds on top, then close the container. If the seeds are viable, the humid environment inside the container will encourage them to germinate. If the seeds are good, you will see results in 7 to 10 days. If they?re good, go ahead and plant them; if not, you can throw them out or try to get a refund from the place where you bought the seeds.

3. Turn Any Plastic Container into a Planting Pot

Every gardener knows that drainage holes are essential for proper plant growth, but not every would-be plant holder has drainage holes. If you have a plastic container that you?d like to convert into a plant holder, use a soldering iron or soldering gun to make small holes in the bottom. This technique is faster and easier than using a drill.

See more at the Garden Lovers Club