If you follow these seven rules of thumb from a gardener who has learned them by trial and error over many years you will be well on your way to achieving the mythical green thumb of an expert horticulturalist. Maybe not quite expert, but at least you will have more successes than failures in your garden. These words of wisdom come from an article by Patti Estep which I found on the Hearth and Vine website.

According to the dictionary, the term Rule of Thumbs means; ?a method of procedure based on experience and common sense.? So today I?m sharing a few gardening rules of thumb, that I have learned over the years.

7 Gardening Rules of Thumb

 
Sometimes it?s the little tips people tell you, that make all the difference.

1. Use Native Soil

When planting a new perennial, shrub or tree, don?t fill the whole with a bag of topsoil or compost, but rather use the soil that you just dug up. It?s fine to add a little compost or slow release fertilizer, but the majority should be native soil. Why? Because this will help the plants roots get established in the new environment, and reach beyond the planting hole.

2.?Plant on a Cloudy Day

Whenever possible, plant?on a cloudy day, preferably when rain is in the forecast. This helps reduce transplant shock. If you plant on a hot sunny day, even if you water well, the plants will not be able to acclimate to their new home as well.

via Tommy Sea on Flickr

3. Dig the Right Size Hole

A great rule of thumb here is, 2 times the width but no deeper than the pot it came in. Plants will tend to settle a little, ?and you don?t want it to sink below ground level. This also helps the roots grow out into the loose surrounding soil which is likely to be more beneficial and rich.

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