How do I water...well...that's pretty easy.

Anything in a pot or basket gets watered from the watering can on a daily or every other day basis depending on the weather (hot and sunny with wind means every day, cloudy and cooler with calm air means every other day). Anything that's not in a pot better be able to make it without watering, because I don't want fussy needy plants. The exceptions to that rule are newly seeded or newly planted things, which are watered as needed (newly seeded are watered daily for at least a week unless it rains, newly planted usually for a day or two unless they get droopy or bare root plants that will get a longer period of watering to be able to establish themselves better) and exceptionally hot dry spells that call for watering of the hostas. If I do water, it's for at least a half hour or more so it actually gets into the ground deep enough.

I specifically try to choose things that don't need extra watering or fussing over.

This post was edited by eclecticcottage on Tue, May 27, 14 at 11:59

I bought a house a year and a half ago and proceeded to rip out all the overgrown shrubs and foundation plantings. Next I installed irrigation throughout the yard (9 zones). Then I built back up the soil where it was low from the shrub removal, and proceeded to incorporate compost and build slightly elevated beds for improved drainage. I started out with lawn sprinklers everywhere and have been converting the beds to drip irrigation. The best method of watering beds is drip irrigation, it's easy, relatively inexpensive and will last many years. Let's be honest, the hardest part of growing plants is remembering to maintain them, and the easier it is the more likely for success. I can't strongly encourage drip irrigation enough, it's been the key to my success with plants, and it's so easy to get started, you just tap off and add as needed. Our first house I did hose end timers and it was great, I got my father started in the same fashion and he's hooked! On the second house I installed bigger mainlines underground like lawn systems, and then have converted them to drip. I still have the lawn irrigation but use the more modern "rotator" nozzles which have a slower water flow.

I think people make a big deal about soil types, and it is relevant, but realistically most people are stuck with what they have and the recommendation is always going to be the same: "add organic matter". So for new people, I'd just recommend incorporating as much organic matter over as much and as deep as is reasonable. 90% of all roots exist in the top 18" of soil, and I'd suggest 1 shovel deep is good enough for most plants.

So I'll summarize, rip out anything you aren't in love with, add enough soil to make the beds the way you want, incorporate as much organic matter as you can, install irrigation, mulch.

Good advice above. I'll add just this: ask questions. There are novice and experienced gardeners of all ages who have varying levels of expertise with perennials and who post regularly on this forum and others. Many of us have already asked the questions that plague & confuse newbie gardeners.

Oh, one more suggestion: draw your property on paper; include the dwelling, any outbuildings, driveway, patio, swimming pool, etc. Then add where there are trees, established garden beds. Orient the garden with the compass so you know where E, W, N & S are relative to your property. Unless you're planning major renovations, the map should remain fairly accurate in years to come.

what the heck.. bump.. ken

One of the best things I did as a newbie gardener and home owner 5 years ago, was take the recommendation of a friend who knew an expert gardener. I hired him to help clean up my garden in my first spring with the understanding that I would be part of the process - that I would help out and that he would teach me as I went along. It was well worth the five hours I paid him for both the work done and what I learned. His pruning was immaculate. Unfortunately, even though it was his business, he was next to impossible to contact and arrange subsequent work! So I kind of gave up. Just a few months ago, he was featured in a garden story in the local newspaper - I was in shock because I really thought he had dropped off the face of the earth.