Photo: Pixabuy / andreas160578
C ultivating your own garden is a very rewarding experience. The problem is, many people don’t know how to start one. They never take advantage of this opportunity because they struggle with the initial steps.
That doesn’t need to be the case. Starting your own garden can be much simpler than you may think. Just be sure to keep the following tips in mind.
Choose What You’ll Grow
First, decide what types of crops you plan on growing. Veggies such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots are all relatively easy for beginners.
Be practical when making your choices. If you’re not likely to eat a particular crop, don’t waste your own time and space trying to grow it. Focus on crops you’ll actually use.
Choose the Right Location
Find out what kinds of environmental factors contribute to the healthy growth of your chosen crops. For instance, most garden vegetables require several hours of daily exposure to direct sunlight, although there are crops which only need partial sunlight.
Choose a suitable location once you’ve determined what your crops need to survive. It’s important to avoid areas where high wind, frost, pets, and other unanticipated factors could damage your crops.
Decide Which Types of Beds You Want
Different garden beds offer different benefits. For instance, raised garden beds look nice and are easy to tend to, but they dry out more quickly than sunken beds. You may need to go with sunken beds if you live in a dry area.
Whichever you choose, arrange the beds in a grid and allow yourself enough walking space to work on your garden without limiting your growing space. Ideally, beds should be no more than 10 feet long and four feet across.
If you’re building DIY beds from wood, a multi-tool fitted with oscillating saw blades can help you get the job done faster. Or, depending on your needs, it may make more sense to use an electric chainsaw and other equipment to build a gated enclosure to house your plants. Otherwise, work with your contractor to ensure your garden beds will have enough space for your vision.
Stock Up on Tools
You can’t maintain a thriving garden without the right garden tools. Items such as a lightweight wheelbarrow, rake, shears, hoe, and several other essentials will make gardening much easier. Let the staff at your local garden center know what you plan on growing to find out exactly what tools you’ll need.
Choose and Build Soil
While you’re at the garden center, ask what type of soil you need, and how to build it. It’s also important to test the soil before planting anything. A home test can tell you if you need to adjust your soil’s pH levels. Most crops you choose to grow will thrive best in soil with a pH of around seven.
Plant & Schedule
Follow the instructions on the seed packet to plant your crops correctly. It’s important to follow the instructions carefully in order to get the best results.
It’s even more important to thoroughly learn what steps you must take to keep your crops healthy. Scheduling time to cultivate your garden (and sticking to the schedule!) is key to getting ideal results.
Luckily, following these steps doesn’t need to be difficult at all. Cultivating your home garden will be a very pleasant experience once you know how to get started. The more you practice, the stronger your green thumb will be!