Gardening is a great family hobby that you can do together with your kids. Gardening gives you an excuse to get your kids off their phones and the TV even for a few hours every weekend and do something productive and relaxing outdoors.
There are numerous benefits when your children go outdoors and engage with nature and gardening provides precisely that. Your children also start learning about responsibility by taking care of the garden plants.
To start a thriving garden and have safe and hassle-free gardening experience, you need to learn some gardening basics.
You need to decide on the functionality of your garden before you even identify a suitable site. The specifications and requirements for your garden vary depending on what you want to do with it. For instance, the location and conditions of a vegetable garden are different from those of a flower garden.
Consult as a family and choose a garden type that is agreeable to all since every member will contribute towards its maintenance. The functionality of your garden should be suitable for your family needs.
Your Soil Choice
You should pay close attention to the soil you have in your home. Most plants need a well-drained soil rich in organic content to grow and stay healthy. You might also want to test the soil’s pH value since not all plants can thrive in acidic soil.
Depending on the results of your test, you can treat the soil accordingly to make it more supportive of plant growth. While at it, you can add manure and organic fertilizers to improve the soil’s fertility but be careful with the amount you add since they can alter the pH value and undo all the work you have done thus far.
The location of your garden will determine whether your plants will die or thrive. Opt for a place with sufficient sunlight the plants need for their growth. Also, consider a shelter or site that would protect them from strong wind.
Your garden should be near a water source if your region experiences unreliable rainfall to make your work more manageable in cases you need to water them during the dry season.
Unless you live in the tropics or willing to put up a greenhouse, planting any Fruit That Looks Like Guava is not the best idea since it will likely die from the unsuitable weather. Instead, go for plants that naturally thrive in your area. They are manageable to take care of and are more resistant to pests and diseases than exotic plants.
To avoid getting overwhelmed, choose two or three plant species and learn how to take care of them for a year before you expand your garden.
When planting, leave enough spaces between your plants as recommended. This makes gardening more manageable and also helps in the control of pests and diseases.
Taking Care of Your Garden
You would have fewer problems with your garden if you did proper preparation before planting. Even then, a garden needs regular attention. You should check your yard for weeds and uproot them immediately to stop them from choking your plants.