An unusual practice that might actually help your NJ garden thrive this season

New Jersey's growing season is now underway, and gardeners all throughout the Garden State are continuously prepping their spaces for what they hope will be a fantastic season.

But did you know there are simple tricks you can do now to help maximize the success of your garden? One of them is so simple that it doesn't even require much work.

Before I get into it, let me just say that I actually do this for my garden. I personally have never seen any evidence of this damaging what I grow, despite what we're often told.

Just think about this

How often do you hear that you need to kill weeds in order for your lawn or garden to thrive? That you won't have any success if you don't do anything about it?

Probably a lot. It's part of the reason why so many throughout the state like to use weed killers.

After all, why grow anything like a lawn or garden if weeds are going to overtake them anyway? Who would even want that in the first place?

Perhaps there's some truth to that, but there is one thing to keep in mind - not all weeds are created equal. And one very common weed should actually be left alone, especially if it pops up in the space where you grow your vegetable garden.

A very beneficial weed

This might not be a popular idea, but it's one worth sharing. An argument as to why you should let those dandelions grow in your garden space.

But hold up - Won't dandelions kill the vegetables we're trying to grow? Not necessarily, as long as you're strategic about it.

Dandelions have many benefits when it comes to your garden. Two of which play a particularly important role when it comes to the health of your garden.

Deeply rooted

One thing about dandelions that can indirectly benefit your garden is the fact that they have deep roots. But how does that help what we're looking to grow?

Think about it this way. Deep down in the ground are nutrients that the roots of the dandelion can tap into.

That, in turn, can help draw up those nutrients which will benefit many vegetables you're looking to grow. Not only that, but dandelions can also help hold the soil together during heavy rains.

Pollinator heaven

The second benefit is all about the honey bee. Or, other beneficial pollinators that love to make a stop on dandelion flowers.

This one is about as straightforward as it gets. Pollinators - especially honey bees- are vital to the success of a vegetable garden.

Without them, it would be that much harder for your garden to be successful. And let's face it, we all want nothing but success this growing season.

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 Sunday morning host & content contributor Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.