Gardening can keep you busy and outdoors all day long. This is a much better way to spend your time rather than curled up on the couch with a box of Cheez-It’s. If you’re looking to build a garden but don’t know where to start, we’ve got you covered. Grow beautiful flowers, bright green plants, or my favorite, veggies! Here are some tips to help you create your dream garden!
Before you begin gardening, you’re going to need to decide on the plants you want to start growing. Do you want a garden full of colorful fresh flowers, or are you looking to be a bit more sustainable and grow vegetables right from your backyard? You can order seeds from a variety of online shops, including SeedSheet. This site allows you to design custom gardening kits to be delivered right to your house and range in price depending on the kit. These kits are just what you need to kick off your gardening career!
It’s important to go into your garden with a plan. Knowing how much room you’ll need for each plant and how wide or tall they’ll grow will let you know how far apart to plant each of the seeds. Another reason to do this is so you know how big to make your garden. If you’re creating a space in your backyard, you’re going to want to know how much space it will take up so you can get the necessary tools. So grab some paper and a pen and get sketching!
As you begin planting your seeds, you’ll need to keep them inside until the weather is right outside. Typically, keeping seeds inside about six weeks before planting them outside is the best way to begin. Many people choose to plant their seeds in empty egg cartons and leave them on the windowsill to keep them warm but make sure not to let them sit in direct sunlight.
After sketching out your garden, you probably have an idea in mind of where you want to start growing your plants. Whether it’s in the middle of your backyard or pushed off to the corner, make sure it’s in an area that works for what you’re growing. Vegetables such as tomatoes, peas, and peppers need full sunlight to flourish, but leafier greens like spinach or kale need a shadier environment.
After laying out your chosen soil in your new garden space, should you just start planting right away? The answer is no. You need to check the soil every now and then to make sure it’s not too wet, and not too soggy. If you pick it up and you’re able to squeeze the moisture out of the soil, leave it alone. You’ll know you can start plating when you pick up your soil and it crumbles. If the soil is too dry, water will not be able to absorb into the soil, and if it’s too wet, the roots of your plant will not be able to grow down deep.
Before moving your plants from the window to the soil, you need to slowly adjust them to their new environment. After taking them out of the windowsill, move them outside under the shade of a tree for about three hours, then take them back inside. The next day, leave them in an area with a little more sun, say half under the tree for an extra hour or two, now four or five hours, and then bring them back in. Continue to do this until your plant is in full sunlight. Once it is acclimated you can go ahead and plant them in your garden. This process should take around two to three days.
After planting your greenery in the ground, you’ll need to create a basin or a bowl that will hold water, around each of your plants. Basins are important because they help the plant to catch rainwater or water you use for watering, so it can filter slower into the plant. This keeps the roots from drowning in too much water.
Rainwater is better for your plants than filling up a bucket of sink water. When you use rainwater to water your plants because it’s an all-natural choice. Sink water can be treated with chlorine and other chemicals that can be harmful to the growth of your plant. To collect rainwater for your plants simply leave a large bucket or barrel under the drain spout of your house, so when it rains it automatically fills it up!
To ensure your plants get all their necessary water and nutrients, you’ll need to constantly fight off any weeds that begin to grow in your garden bed. Weeds will absorb all the nutrients in the soil for themselves, leaving your plants hungry for more. To avoid starving your garden, make sure to pluck weeds out right away!
When laying down new plants, you’re going to want to protect them the best you can while they’re beginning to grow. By covering your garden area with an inch or two of mulch, you are saving your plants from harm. These few inches of mulch will keep the soil moist, moderate the soil’s temperature on hot summer days, and keep weeds away. Don’t start a garden just to watch your plants struggle, cover them with mulch and you’ll thank yourself later!
Of course, make sure to water your plants, even when they’re outdoors. Deeply water your plants in their soil about once or twice a week. If you live in a hotter, drier climate your plants will need a bit more attention. In this case, you’ll want to take time to thoroughly water your garden once a day, sometimes even twice. It’s best to water your plants in the morning before the heat sets in so that they have plenty of time to absorb their nutrients before it gets too hot.
To keep your plant away from harmful diseases, you must check up on them and clip off any damaged or yellowing leaves. Clipping off these destructive parts of your plants will prevent the entire plant, or garden, from dying. After they are snipped off, keep them far away from your garden and any other plants you are trying to grow.
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