How to Start Gardening
Gardening is a relaxing and beneficial activity that can help reduce stress. It also helps provide fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs that add nutrients to your diet.
Even though it's best to begin preparing your garden in the fall, you can still be successful in the spring. Follow these helpful tips to ensure a successful start
Decide what you want to grow
The first step is to determine what vegetables and herbs you would like to plant. Many people struggle with this decision. It's easy to see why this is a difficult decision to make when you look through a catalogue or look online. Every vegetable imaginable is delicious but not all do well in your area or in your garden.
What grows well depends on the climate in which you live. There may be microclimates within your garden, which are regions that are warmer or drier than the rest of the garden. Your choices will be influenced by the kind of soil you choose to use. It should have a loose, fine texture, but not sticky or muddy (clay), or crumbling in your hands (sand). Ideally it should be high in organic matter, which is accomplished through the use of compost, natural fertilizers such as those made from kitchen scraps, eggshells as well as fish tank water and Epsom salt, as well as regular tilling of the soil.
Once you have decided what you want to grow, create an inventory of the seeds you'll need. Make sure you check the dates for planting on the seed packets and make sure they correspond with your growing season. Certain crops do not like to be transplanted, so they are best sown directly. These include root crops like carrots and beets, as well as beans, peas and corn. Cucumbers, squash, and pumpkins resent being transplanted too, and are typically sown directly.
Pick a Good Location
The performance of your garden depends on a variety of factors but the location is probably the most important. Vegetables need full sunshine and water, whereas flowers require soil that drains well. It is recommended to stay clear of areas where frost pockets are likely because they can hinder growth and even damage plants. If you aren't able to find an ideal spot in your yard, there are many options like raised beds and containers.
Begin by looking at the sunny parts of your property and determining how much sun they get throughout the day. Be aware of if nearby trees, shrubs, or even the hard surfaces, create shade in certain seasons and how this affects the sun's path. Once you've narrowed your options down, choose the location that gets the most sunlight on a typical day.
Examine the soil's condition next. If the soil is sandy or silty you will have a harder time growing vegetables. It's possible to amend your soil if it's not good but you'll have to work on it first.
If you have kids or other family members who will be helping in the garden, make plans by including a play area within or near the area you plan to plant. If you decide to go with a tire swing, sandbox or a garden bed for kids, this will keep them entertained while you tend to the flowers and vegetables.
Also, be aware of the potential dangers including deer, rabbits and rats, that could destroy your garden. Avoid areas where harmful substances like lead paint or oil have leached onto the ground. These chemicals could be present in your vegetables, and can be harmful to your health. Be sure the area is near a water source to allow you to easily wash your plants in hot weather.
Prepare the Soil
As with any new endeavor, it is important to start small and gradually build up your knowledge. Start with a single bed or container if you want to grow vegetables. You will get accustomed to the soil and learn how plants react to it. It will also help you stay focused and motivated if you are working with only a small amount of space at one time.
Good gardeners know that a thriving vegetable garden begins with a healthy soil. The soil is a source of nutrients, stability, and moisture to the crops. The ideal soil is a loose, loamy mix that has been amended over the years with organic material like manure or compost. This helps to improve the soil structure for better drainage and air aeration. Expert gardeners agree that a healthy soil is the most crucial element of the success of a vegetable garden.
To prepare vegetable gardens to garden, it is important to remove all existing vegetation. This can be accomplished by tilling, smothering or any combination of these methods. It is essential to eliminate the existing vegetation to allow proper aeration, and to increase the amount of organic matter in your soil.
After removing any vegetation, the soil has to be thoroughly worked. This can be done by digging the soil or by tiling it to loosen and break it. It is best to dig 6-8 inches deep. Then, you add a layer of organic material between 3 and 4 inches in thickness. Mix it in with the soil by using a broadfork or garden fork. Organic matter can be compost, shredded grass, manure, newspaper, or cardboard. It is essential to include enough organic material to allow soil microbes to easily break it down.
It is also essential to ensure that the soil is prepared to plant by examining its texture. It should be moist and crumble easily when you hold it in your hand. It shouldn't be wet and muddy because wet soil can lead to soil compaction that negatively affects the root growth. It is recommended that organic material be added to the soil each year. Adding organic material is cheaper than using commercial fertilizers which offer quick fixes and can deplete soil quickly.
Plant Your Seeds
If you're planting vegetables, herbs or flowers planting seeds indoors can give a jumpstart to the gardening season. It's cheaper than buying transplants, and the crop generally grows more vigorously. You can learn important information from seed packets, for example, the time of planting and soil requirements. Also note when a plant is able to set seed to ensure you plan in a way. According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, the best way to ensure the success of your garden is to start with high-quality seeds from reliable companies.
Make an inventory of all the flowers and vegetables that you would like to plant. You can narrow your choices using seed catalogs. Concentrate on what you like to eat and what you think will look nice in your backyard. Consider adding vegetables such as bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and basil to your diet. Pick flowers such as marigolds cosmos and zinnias to create an attractive garden. Choose varieties that are resistant against disease.
Visit your local farmer's market or CSAs to get an idea of the various varieties of seeds. This is a great way to help local businesses while connecting with other gardeners. Plus, you can sample the best of the season.
Most vegetables, including lettuce and beans, can be easily grown from seed. Certain vegetables, such as tomatoes and peppers require a longer season of growth and might need to be indoors prior to the time of the last frost. homes gardens and herbs can be "direct-sown" outside once the danger of freezing has been averted.
Be sure to purchase seeds from a vendor that sells organic and heirloom varieties. Companies like Botanical Interests, which is famous for its high-quality seeds and beautiful illustrations on its packets or Seed Savers Exchange, a non-profit organization that works to preserve America's culturally diverse but threatened food crop heritage are good places to start.
You can determine the length of time you need to plant seeds outdoors or indoors by counting backwards from your average date of last frost. Be gardening vegetable that you should only plant what you can cultivate in a space that is more susceptible to disease and are more likely to battle for sunlight, water and nutrients.