5 Important Steps To Starting A Home Garden
Have you been interested in the idea of setting up a garden? Perhaps you are, but you just do not know where to start. If you have been looking for a guide to set up for your first garden, then you have come to the right place. In this article, you will learn more about gardening and how to turn it into reality.
So, without further ado, here are the steps to gardening for beginners like you. Make sure to keep them in mind!
1. Decide what you want to grow
Here is a general rule of thumb: If you do not like eating a crop, do not grow it. The idea is to focus on things that you want to see in your home garden. Of course, it can be anything as long as you deem it worthy. For instance, your family enjoys fruits and vegetables. If that is the case, then make sure these are the very first things you grow. At the end of the day, your top choices should always make sense in your area.
2. Get the best location
Most fruits and vegetables require sun in order to grow accordingly. In fact, science says that they need at least a minimum of five hours of direct sunlight. As for herbs and root veggies, among others, a partial shade should get the job done. Basically, you need to get the best location for your home garden. But as you select a location, you also need to consider factors like caring, watering and picking your plants.
Let’s take for example watering. Since all plants, fruits, or vegetables require a good amount of water, you want a location that has easy access to water. You also need to make sure that it is away from pets or children, as they can bring significant damage to your garden. Think of your garden as a family and you are its personal injury attorney. When it requires help, you know exactly what to bring to the table.
3. Invest in basic garden tools
Gardening can be a pleasure, but it also requires a good amount of time and dedication from you. And regardless of the kind of crops or plants you want to grow, you need to invest in some basic garden tools. This includes, but not limited to, dirt rake, garden shovel, scuffle hoe, garden hoe, and leaf rake.
Again, the above-mentioned are just mere examples. You can research more on the kind of tools you need to have. As much as possible, you should steer clear of cheap plastic tools. They are just a complete waste of time and money. Remember: garden tools are there to save you time and effort, not the other way around.
4. Test your soil
Before you even start building your garden beds, you need to learn more about your soil. You want to know whether it is alkaline, acidic, or neutral pH. Does your soil come with a handful of rocks? Is it mostly clay, sand, or a mix of the two? Does it even have a good amount of nutrients?
Believe it or not, a simple glance at your soil is enough to determine its characteristics. Of course, others may require you to process a professional lab test. In most cases, a garden crop would prefer a soil with a pH of at least 7.
5. Plant with care
Once you have set everything up, it is time to start planting. But your work does not end here, as you need to do the caring every now and then. In other words, you have to be committed and dedicated. If you need to water your plants early in the morning, make sure it is part of your routine. Do not skip it simply because you are lazy or you want to get more sleep. Gardening should be part of your life.
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