7 Habits of Effective Gardeners

Good gardeners, effective gardeners, demonstrate common habits that help them with garden success. Gardening is an easy passion that can be very difficult to fully understand. By practicing and developing these simple habits, gardeners can not only create efficient and successful gardens, but also enjoy the entire gardening experience. (Video #180)
"The Best Tomato Trellis" video: • The Best Tomato Trellis
1:10 The struggle
2:28 Act
4:15 Plan
6:30 Prioritize
8:17 Observe
9:29 Know
10:54 Learn
12:49 Enjoy
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[@jjyemg2397]

This was so Impressive. 28 years ago when I started my technical sales/service career we were asked to read Stephen R Covey's book...7 Habits of Highly effective People. I still own it and reflect upon it. It was a bible for being a good businessman(gardener). I grew up with a garden at home as a kid and for the last 35 years I've been gardening in my homes as an adult. Nice job, Scott. Clever!!!!

[@Neldidellavittoria]

My 'like' always goes up even as the video starts. They're all great.

[@denisemiller8620]

Me too🙋🏼‍♀️🙋🏼‍♀️

[@lucycooke9269]

@@denisemiller8620 77 b.⁷⁷

[@amandavhb1630]

I decided to observe my garden tonight as the sun was going down and I caught 10 snails marching towards my tomatoes! Its amazing what you see at different times of day.

[@treebeard7140]

It's an ecosystem although unnatural, a lot of creatures benefit from our humble gardens.

[@annieb7919]

@Amanda VHB Quite a parade, I must say! HA! I'll trade you for my wasps, yellow jackets, raccoons, possums, deer, red ants, poisoness frog, squirrels, earwigs and SNAKES, etc! I'm enamored with my preying mantis, however!

[@monagoth]

I am following you from Somalia and you have made me to try gardening. Thanks Scott.

[@elisataylor556]

My tomato plants have me trained. I know when I go outside each day I may as well grab 3 gallons of water because they'll be thirsty. Even my pepper plants which I read enjoy hot and dry tease me for a drink almost daily as does the butternut squash. And while I'm preparing their water I may as well plan on taking out the bird seed for the birds, squirrels and rabbits. I over pruned one of the tomato plants down to one main stem but hey, no worms on any of them. My next goal is to cage the white cucumber because it says it wants to grow upright. Not only am I talking to my plants, I believe they're talking back to me.

[@noahfasnacht]

I love how you aproach your garden/plants they for sure communicate and just like any living being on the planet they strive under a loving human being

[@treebeard7140]

Very well stated. Sometimes people ask me if I'm watching the plants grow, ironically. However I am. I see more than they even realize.

[@annieb7919]

@Elisa Taylor I talk to my plants, too. Sometimes it seems they Talk Back to me, and sometimes they BackTalk, if you know what I mean! Happy Gardening, Elisa!

[@lindseybasile3116]

You are honestly the Bob Ross of gardening. 😂 absolutely love your videos. 💙💜

[@treebeard7140]

An effective gardener is basically a backyard botanist. Did some weeding for my uncle. his plants were perfect even though tall weeds were abundant. Every weed I pulled he knew the common name of and I was impressed by his knowledge from years of growing.

[@heathicusmaximus8170]

I think the blip with the ladybug was great. Failure is a good teacher, especially when you lose an entire crop.

[@dogslobbergardens6606]

Gardening can be about as simple or complex as you want it to be... I have a tendency to overthink every detail, while my wife's approach is quite a bit more laid-back... and we both have roughly the same good-to-excellent rates of success. ;)

[@judysketteno1966]

I started gardening to make my yard a paradise for my husband w dementia. He loved viewing the birds, flowers , and my crops. He has passed but I feel nearer to him in the garden. No lawn, just plants. Thank u fir your informative videos.

[@golf3619]

Starting a garden journal like you suggested has really helped with a lot of these tips :)

[@ddobrien1]

"There's going to be times soon enough when the _weather changes_ I know I can't..." That hit me with the feels.😔

[@carolparrish194]

You hit the nail on the head ! Gardening is a continuous learning experience.Enjoy !

[@goldstandard3714]

Currently "Enjoying" my latest garden failure. "Learning" a single pumpkin plant will take over an entire 12' square plot. I "Know" now my next "Plan" will "Prioritize" pumpkin alone where I have room to spare. I will "Act" this fall to claim an area for Pumpkin, because I "Observed" how huge they grow. I have named it, "The Blob".

[@annieb7919]

@GoldStandard NOW you tell me! I have not one, but TWO melon plants that were not "Prioritzed"! HA!

[@fredpeterson7523]

I do enjoy my garden! It keeps me energized and wanting to learn more. Some of the seasonal difficulties (Japanese beetles, aphids...) can be hard lessons to learn but new ideas and solutions make the end product fabulous! THANKS!

[@rosem6604]

It's my first year gardening ever. I only did flowers and had great success. And the weird, out-of-nowhere 2 potatoes that (I guess) seeded themselves in my flower pots, which is great. Next year I'll try some veggies too and I already find your advice resonating with what I learned in the past year. Thank you!

[@janetobermann157]

Thanks Scott! Your videos are great! I’m a “new again” gardener, after a 20 year hiatus, and am loving my small garden! I’m super excited about growing husk cherries, and have just two tomato plants, which are thriving. I lost every last pea- to some critter, and my cabbage is not producing heads, but my pepper plant and cucumbers, and basil are thriving! Your videos always give me that feeling of a “pat on the back”, and keep me going! Thanks!

[@annieb7919]

@Janet Obermann My ground cherries were doing fabulously ~ until my lawn-mowing-guy thought they were weeds!

[@MrSolarcell]

It’s so true! JUST DO IT. I used to do a lot of research on tomatoes and made a list of all good tomatoes I wanted to grow, but didn’t start because ‘my garden is not ready’. My friend had zero knowledge on tomatoe and just bought a seedling and dig a hole by his patio and put it in. The result is that summer he enjoyed his own nice tomatoes but I had nothing! Since then ‘Just do it’ becomes my top philosophy of gardening.

[@leefield2382]

Alway look forward to his videos and always learning from them.

[@TNBushcrafter]

You are such an inspiration, wish more new gardeners would find your channel. I am in A LOT of gardening groups on FB and there are so many new gardeners this year. Glad to see it but they are buying into all the old wives tales. Any little issue with a tomato, add egg shells. I try so hard to explain the science behind many issues but to many believe what they have been told instead of researching. My goal is to get my family and neighbors to realize that we dont need to kill all the pollinators and poison the earth to get a productive harvest.

[@Bareness]

Gardener Scott you are beautiful and inspiring! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and great energy. Observing, learning & enjoying!

[@waynesell3681]

Thank you again for being there! Encouraging me to do!

[@SC-fk9nc]

Indeed the random landing ladybugs are a joy to watch 🙂. A confirmation that our efforts to develop a rich and sustainable garden are coming to fruition.

[@craigkurker6242]

This is my second year gardening when I look out at my darling off my deck this year's Garden is twice as full and vibrant that it was last year. I'm really excited about this season. Thank you Scott I've learned a lot from your podcast

[@maverick5006]

Never a truer video!! And every year adjusting to Mother Nature. Not enough water, too much, too hot, too cold, as you said, Observation is key. And while your're out there, observe nature. The birds, and other wildlife. Give thanks to Poppa who gave this to us to enjoy!!

[@donphillips6797]

That was great it gave me a boost I needed thank you

[@dustyflats3832]

Lol! I probably could water all day here when the hot spring shows up.

[@wfpb_molly8379]

This made me feel so much better! Act on your desire👍figure out one piece at a time👍 just the pep talk I needed!

[@Autism_Forever]

Agree about "just do it". Since I was a kid, I wanted to grow a baobab tree. I have grown hundreds of trees, but never a baobab. Never had a space large enough for this tree. Baobabs live for over 1,000 years, have height of 100 feet, trunk diameter of 30+ feet, and root ball spread of 100+ feet. I garden in a rental. Whole yard is smaller than what baobab needs to grow. So, I've put it off "until I have my own place". However, I have recently learned that it takes couple months for baobab seeds to just start germinating. So, for this giant tree time goes very slooooowly :) Thus, I have decided to plant my giant tree in a container and take it with me "to my own place" :) I am currently trying to source the seeds. So, if any of you know where I can get baobab (adansonia) tree seeds, I would appreciate it if you tell me. Thanks ♥ and thank you, Gardener Scott, for always very useful videos! ♥

[@heidiclark6612]

Thank You for this very important video. I always say that we all started out in the same place, knowing nothing about gardening. We all have or had to learn. Like you I am starting a garden in a new home in a different state than where I was accustom to how things grew. It seems that I have come back to the beginning again. I now walk around checking for moisture etc. It will be nice when I reach the point of "knowing" what this garden can do.Your 7 habits are exactly what needs to happen.As I always say. "Nature wins".

[@lorrainemartin5034]

Hi Gardener Scott, best vlog for the week. Thanks heaps.

[@DanCooper404]

Sound advice, as always.

[@robbo7765]

New to gardening and just got my first allotment plot. Thanks for the advice , will be ACTING on it. Will be watching from the uk.Thanks for sharing👍💯.

[@sharonanelson861]

I agree with treating gardening (or anything you do as a hobby) as something you find enjoyable, not a chore--otherwise, why do it? I admit my style, once it gets really hot, is to water frequently/daily, and check for/deal with pests and keep the veggies picked daily, but weeding goes out the window somewhere around mid-June. I'm sure that cuts my germination and yield, but I'm not complaining. Thank you for these great videos, Scott! I never fail to learn something worthwhile.

[@Charlie-ww5dq]

Thanks, Gardener Scott!! I enjoy your videos.

[@mr.matthews67]

God bless you and have a wonderful Independence day.🇺🇸🙏🏻❤️

[@annieb7919]

Hi Scott, I'm SO glad we "met" recently, but I wish I had known you MANY decades ago! OK, perhaps your great grandfather, IF he, too, had been a gardener like you! OH, the mistakes I wouldn't have committed and the pleasures I could have enjoyed, and, may I add, with far less work! I can't begin to tell you how I've enjoyed AND learned from your videos! I honestly believe I've watched them all and wish there had been more! The only thing that "might" make them any better, would be a little doggie helping you! I know I couldn't do what I do without my Chew-WOW-WOW! (aka Chihuahua!) Remember, "Don't Throw in the Trowel"! See you in your next video ~ SOON! (I've watched, re-watched, re-re-watched THIS one several times over the last few weeks! THANKS!)

[@GardenerScott]

Thanks, Annie!

[@tiffystrangebirdbrown6844]

Thank you so much!

[@thomasneal5516]

Thanks and so true on this video. Lol I can try and keep up with my garden. I really enjoy gardening but it is my main stressor lol. But really enjoy it from the smell of the dirt to weeding it. ( Lol mini head hunter here) . Thanks for all your videos they help out a lot on many subjects. 😁 😁

[@carladelagnomes]

These are great habits to apply to life in general!

[@DiscoChixify]

You’re absolutely right. Trial and error is the best way to learn how to be a gardener, no matter what you’re planting. When people tell me they want to start a garden but they don’t know how to actually start it I tell them to start with their favorite fruit, vegetable, or herb. They’ll be more invested in growing it and learning about it, and more excited and satisfied when they eventually get it right and have their first harvest. I tell them to figure out how deep the roots will go and use that as a guide for how much soil to dig up in the patch they plan to use or how deep their pot needs to be (plus 2-3 inches). Then they need to figure out its soil type needs, ph, and fertilizer recommendations. Then the germination temperature, season, and sun guidelines. Even planting out of season, without ideal soil or other conditions, can lead to growth & eventual harvest though. Most plants are super hearty and will give you a lot wiggle room. Once you start growing that first plant you’ll need to research pests and diseases, how frequent to water & how frequent to fertilize or harvest. After that it’s all about finding creative recipes and rewarding yourself for your hard work. If you start growing one plant at a time it’s easier to grow your knowledge and to keep up with your garden. I tell them not to overwhelm themselves by trying to grow everything at once. Gardening, and more specifically growing food, is an investment that you build on over time. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will your garden if you’re just starting out. And that’s ok.

[@GardenerScott]

A lot of great advice. Thanks!

[@DiscoChixify]

Gardener Scott thank you for providing a gardening community where gardeners can be supportive of each other and feel at ease so we can share our own tips and tricks. I feel like your videos remind me a lot of things I’ve tried in the garden over the years I’ve put in so far and it feels really good to have that reinforcement. I love learning about gardening, and there’s still a ton I don’t know. Your videos are easy to follow and you have a very comforting voice. I look forward to seeing more of your videos in the future.

[@chrisdahl864]

I gotta tell you, I had forgotten a couple of these, especially #7. It WAS becoming a chore to tend to my plants, which is surprising given how much paise & envy I get. So, Thanks for the reminder to ENJOY gardening! I needed it!

[@valeriebennett1011]

I truly enjoy watching your videos. You're always so encouraging. Thank you!!

[@annieb7919]

Yep! Enjoy your garden! Bloom where you're planted. Don't throw in the trowel! Just HAD to "throw" that in! In case you're unaware, "Don't Throw in the Trowel" (tips and quips on gardening) is a 128 page book ~ authored by Texas Bix Bender ~ published by Gibbs-Smith Publisher ~ Salt Lake City. I couldn't decide which quip I wanted to share here ~ they're ALL great! So, I just closed my eyes and opened the book! It opened to page 64, of all places! (I'm in my 9th decade and still doing organic gardening in washer & dryer tubs.) "One who grows does not grow old." (OK ~ so the author isn't always truthful! HA!) "If you would be happy for a lifetime, plant a garden - all right, make that busy for a lifetime." (Guess he "redeemed himself! HA ~ again!) Any way, it is a great little book and I hope you can find a copy. I'm sure you'll enjoy sitting in your garden (whether in the garden you're thinking of starting, or perhaps one you're thinking of giving up on); sipping your cup of hot coffee or iced tea; dreaming about what you're going to do today or, maybe just reminiscing on what you accomplished (or not!) today; you'll enjoy your precious time more with this lovely little book in hand! So ~ remember ~ "Don't Throw in the Trowel"! P. S. No ~ I am NOT the author NOR do I get "commission" for sharing my thoughts on his book! (Giggle!)

[@mitchellmanning7887]

Love the blue skies,, thanks for sharing,,z👍

[@jamesalanstephensmith7930]

Great stuff!

[@margokerby1533]

Great advice. Thank you so much!

[@sammer28]

Always happy to see Mr. Scott show up in my notifications. Glad to see I have the right approach. Cheers

[@rebeccalay119]

One of the things I do to make my gardening enjoyable is to try something new each year. This year it is corn. Had a bunch of seeds given to me and decided, why not? Don't know how they are going to turn out but I have done my study and check them every day for what needs to be done to them. So, in about three weeks, I should know if I was successful. It may be, it may not be. But, the fun is trying and learning. Oh yes, the fun is also in the eating.

[@stephenmoberg8807]

Super advice

[@danchicoine40]

I have learned a lot but there is so much more to learn and by watching your new video's I feel that I will get much better I have observed what is working and what did not so I will be changing things up this fall after the harvest. I loss a 1/3rd of my right foot and it is hard to get on my knee's to get up so I will be going to all raised beds that will help a lot I never thought raised beds we the answer now I think it;the only way to go for me Thank you so much for you sharing your wisdom and knowledge

[@ReefmanAI]

You are beyond awesome! The Dude abides.. Seriously though this is good info.

[@jeffd6540]

Hi G.S., Love this video. I'm still keeping up with your live streams, even though I keep forgetting to get on at the actual time. Haha, Life is busy, even with reminders. I can relate to this video because I follow a lot of those tenants as well and have gleaned some from your prior videos as well. I like the idea of going out and doing a few usual routines in the garden daily (weather permitting, LOL). You can't do everything at once, I keep reminding myself. But, as I move around, if I notice some small things to be done, i'll try to do them on the spot as well. I usually like to start my day with an easy walk around and just clear the few cobwebs that get across the paths and in your face and arms, haha first. I'll casually look at everything and take note of how things are coming along. Things usually tend to stand out like this. Oh, some weeds, or suckers on tomatoes, or check for insects on things. Then you can notice the foliage and see how the health of things are coming along as well. I Particularly enjoy just being out in the yard and feeling like I'm part of nature with it. Taking in the weather, be it hot or cool. I actually feel like I get more energy from being out there and it is very calming to just exist, take it in, and notice what's going on around you. In fact, there have been several times, when I was doing this, just kneeling or sitting when an insect would just land on me or a chipmunk would run right in front of me and pause to see if I see him or not, LOL. Nice video, thanks for the inspiration.

[@ReadJournalLove]

What a good video! Such basic things yet we can easily forget them. I’ll definitely remember these as I start my first garden. Thank you!!

[@siskoalexander]

I enjoyed this discussion - Thank YOU :)

[@chantalgagne4808]

I can’t thank you enough for your videos. I love them all. And I like that some are more technical while others are more reflective. No doubt: I am a true fan of yours. Have a great Saturday in the garden!

[@kspdt]

One habit I learned today...check my garden more frequently. I went out today and hornworms have devastated my tomatoes. Maybe I can find some plants to try again in SO Missouri. grrrrr.

[@adampetherick7836]

Love the ladybug. Thank you for the tips.......thankyou for your channel . Full of knowledge

[@mitribaroudi4207]

Great episode.

[@357pls]

I think I've tried and failed a hundred different things in my garden, and I wouldn't change any of that! Because I would rather try and fail a hundred times than sit around and do nothing, and therefore HAVE nothing. All those failures helped me learn more effective ways of doing things, so I like to think that my current pretty successful garden was built on a ton of failures! It doesn't matter if it doesn't work, just TRY it!

[@annadickinson6935]

This is a great video thank you Mr Scott! I just got it started back in May and am Soo happy. Our carrots are almost ready to harvest we have our first tomatoes in the vine and our squash and pea plants are getting bigger everyday! Thank you for all you do! Have a safe 4th!

[@midnightgardener8346]

Can’t wait too get up in this video💪

[@garden_geek]

Another great video. This is really only my 3rd year seriously gardening and while I definitely feel like I know infinitely more than I did in the beginning, I know that I still have infinitely more to learn. I enjoy every moment in my garden, it’s truly my happy place. I’ve learned to be ok with failures because it’s a learning process. Every failure is really just an opportunity to learn. Anyway, I thank you for your wisdom, sir. Looking forward to the next video.

[@noora7773]

"why are you gardening in the first place?"...that sounds like someone is trying to question my sanity🤭

[@Tabby318]

!If you don't kno3 what you're doing - ."Brilliant and thank you! I had become lost and today I dealt with my tomatoes side shoots - I felt grat!

[@NashvilleMonkey1000]

Just Keep planting, just keep planting~ ~Dory

[@davidcliatt1314]

Seams like the the time was high noon. The last couple of videos I couldn't tell what orientation the beds were.

[@pennystreet679]

Fairly new to your channel. I just watched several videos and the one that was about 8 things you don’t need to do. I was told that my new asparagus would do well planted with strawberries. So I did plant the asparagus and a strawberries. So the asparagus came up this year and is huge. The berries are spreading with lots of runners. Now I think it’s a mistake because I’m worried one will choke out the other.

[@GardenerScott]

That can be a problem. I leave my asparagus alone in a bed so nothing else interferes with it.

[@j.b.6855]

I personally think that Learning is the most important. Way to many people do the same mistake over and over again. They also look for magic recipes, with no understanding of why something works or if it will work for them. I probably do more research when I am planing on trying something new than is really necessary. But I would rather fail because of something out of my control than because I didnt spend the time to learn how to do it correctly. This year I am learning about how to battle blight on tomato plants. I must have spent hours and hours searching for a way to help my plants. I learned that baking soda/iol/soap spray can help, and why it helps.

[@tnmtnmorning1178]

The lady bug ♥️

[@claregreen3824]

That's my only remedy for self-quaranteening since Mardi Gras. Test yourself and push your limits and you will grow. If your plants (or plans) don't grow as anticipated, then rinse, repeat, learn and grow.

[@ecocentrichomestead6783]

Habit #8. Always having a vision/goal of how the garden can be improved. Because a goal actualized isn't motivating.

[@CHROMExNINJA]

“Your creating a system”... that hit different. So your not creating an apple tree. Your creating a system of events that results in an apple tree. Sorry i just had to pause and run through that a few times.

[@hzhsch]

Keep a record/journal of what you did , what /when things happened. What worked, what did not work.

[@2outta3aintbad96]

I plan it … I plant it …. and its up to God , Mother Nature, and the Seed. Not everything grows or gives back … but I do not take it personally any more !! LoL I focus on what I have not what I didn't get !! :)

[@annieb7919]

2outta3ain'tbad Yes, I agree with you and Paul ~ it's God who gives the increase! It just "dawned" on me ~ He also gives us "increase" in our knowledge and understanding! In this video our friend, Scott, was the teacher/conduit! Happy Gardening!

[@jessstuart7495]

You reap what you sow. Sometimes.

[@ohske]

👍👍👍👌♥️

[@rebeccazody1278]

🐞 ❤️

[@annestudley8235]

How do you enjoy harvesting haskap berries? I find it incredibly tedious and back aching with the berries hiding under the leaves. And with that hiding, I can't even tell whether they are completely ripe. Some that are very soft and come off easily end up having red spots, while those that are hard to pull off and aren't that soft can be totally ripe. And the act of pulling off the ones that don't want to come off causes lots of very unripe ones to fall to the ground.

[@adoxartist1258]

I've never heard of haskap berries. I'm going to look that up! But I wanted to tell you: It's ok to stop growing something you don't love working with. Nothing wrong with that! 🙂

[@adoxartist1258]

Ok. Now I see why you might want to continue growing them. Maybe you can put them in raised beds - there's a gardener on the channel Self Sufficient Me whose beds are waist high (fill the bottom with dead wood so you're not spending outrageous money on soil) - so you don't need to bend as much to get a good look at what you're harvesting.

[@GardenerScott]

I think about the reason why I'm harvesting. Making a pie or jelly or dessert to enjoy myself and share with others.

[@annestudley8235]

I'd love to hear if you have an efficient way of doing this. Having that inspiration is good to a point, but after a couple of hours just with the haskaps and feeling the terrible pain in my back by then puts a heavy damper on that inspiration for me.

[@annestudley8235]

I really enjoy Self Sufficient Me videos and understand what you're saying, and it might help. But these are 9-year old huge bushes - I can't transplant them now. The real problem is that they hide under the leaves, which are really small, numerous, and flimsy. So even if you pull a branch up and start to go down it to get to the berries, different leaves will hide them again - you really need 3 hands to do this! And it also keeps you from inspecting the berry completely to make sure it's totally ripe - softness doesn't give a complete picture. And there are MANY branches, most of which have berries at various stages of ripeness. I have 3 bushes, and one is the pollinator, which is tall and narrow, so the berries are more visible. However, they're much smaller and flimsier than the ones on the round bushes. But like the others, they all ripen at different times and are often bunched up together. So they have their own challenges being picked. Where I live haskaps are very expensive, even though they don't need to be sprayed, as I very seldom see pest damage (I guess the berries are too hard for them to get at too!). I can understand why!

[@mancavegamingandgardening9901]

Scott, for the first time this year I have an infestation of Colorado potato beetles on my potato plants. I've been hand plucking them daily but they just seem to come back in larger numbers each day, what can I do to have more effectiveness on these monsters? You live in Colorado so I think you are obligated to make a video about it ;)

[@GardenerScott]

They are definitely a pain and are becoming resistant to pesticides. Handpicking is good because there aren't many natural predators.

[@royalwoolsey2443]

I am considering bare root fruit trees. My problem is, very heavy soil, that gets rock hard in the summer. My question is do I need compost to loosen soil? How much can I use without weakeng the root system of the trees?

[@golf3619]

Royal Woolsey you can compost to loosen the soil. Certain root crops can also help loosen soil. You can also use wood mulch/ branches that will break down over time and help amend the soil. My local nursery sells pine bark soil conditioner, I’ve never used it, but that may also be an option. It takes time for most of these steps to help amend your soil though. I’d also recommend a soil test to understand your soil better your local extension office can be sent your soil results and they will make recommendations that fit your area and soil type specifically.

[@GardenerScott]

It's difficult to add enough compost over a big enough area to benefit trees. I let the trees grow into native soil. A thick layer of organic mulch can help improve the soil over time.

[@tranthiduyen615]

Xin chào anh .

[@SuperMichelleDJ]

There's no such thing as time wasting with the garden. I spent two hours with my garden sometimes.

[@monicam.8006]

Anyone else catch the little rodent running past Gardener Scott @ 12:07 or 12:08? What is that? A rat? A rabbit?

[@heathicusmaximus8170]

Twas a bird I think. You can slow the video down and watch it.