A Garden, when done right, presents so many unique features to both the owners and the onlookers around.
There are so many great reasons to own one for yourself, be it for cultivating fruits and vegetables to make it easy for you to get access to its exquisite natural taste or for the aesthetic display to give your home the looks that make it so desirable to people all around or even to create that relaxing atmosphere away from all the noise and polluted air all around and dive into the luxury of relaxing with nature giving you a helping hand. Whatever your reason for starting a garden, I want to congratulate you on this exciting journey.
Let’s begin. How do you start a garden?
Let’s start at the Top.
1. Why Do You Want A Garden?
Keeping in mind the real purpose of creating the garden will surely go a long way in ensuring the success of this project. For example, If your reasons are recreational, just to enjoy nature at its best and create a relaxing environment, planting things that require harvesting will be a waste of time.
Having foreknowledge of the garden’s purpose will help select a lot of things ranging from the decoration, the plants cultivated, the tolls and aesthetics involved, etc. If that is settled, we move on.
2. What Types of Plants Should Be In The Garden?
Oh yes, you indeed cannot have a garden without plants. The plant selections depend primarily on the purpose the garden is expected to deliver.
Edible crop plants are best suited for people, with consumption being the reason behind the creation of the garden, which includes plants like carrot, spinach, etc.
Flowers such as roses, lilies, daisies, etc., are best suited for aesthetic purpose-driven gardens.
Whatever reason the choice of starting a garden was made, work in line with it by researching the types of plants that would suit your purpose. Never forget to factor in the available size of the land for your garden.
Also, the garden’s environment should play a significant role in picking the plants. Make your research based on the environmental factors surrounding the garden’s location and the planting season of the chosen plant.
3. Proper Structuring of the Garden
What is the access point to water? How safe is the plants from rodents and other pests, and what size and type of garden bed pattern are you going to have in your garden?.
It goes a long way to sit and plan before ever embarking on any project. The same indeed go for the garden plants. Proper planning of the irrigation system and the right garden bed pattern for your choice of plants (Horizontal bed patterns or vertical bed patterns, customized bed patterns) cannot be overemphasized.
Proper planning saves one from excess spending. Invest in the right tools. Do not use home kitchen tools as garden tools. It is better to have a separate set of tools for use in the garden.
4. Basic Gardening Tools To Purchase
The essential gardening tools for beginners include:
- Dirt rake: Rakes with adjustable handles are more advantageous for use in the sense that it can be used for different purposes.
- Wheelbarrow: Imagine moving things around the garden on your head or back. Why not get a wheelbarrow to help you with such a job.
- Hoe: The use will determine the type of scraper that should be bought, but the handle should be an essential factor to consider when purchasing hoes. At the same time, the quantity of water you can carry should be a factor when selecting a watering can.
- Watering cans or Garden hoses: The weight for both items should be in mind when buying one. Also, the length of the tube is a significant factor.
- Gloves: Make sure to get the right sizes to prevent incidents of it slipping off.
- Pruning Shears: always make sure to get the right size for your hands. That is, get the one which is not too heavy to allow you to work with for a more extended period.
- Garden Fork: Ensure to get one with quality materials (better still made of steel) for better durability etc.
5. How to Choose the Right Garden Seeds and Properly Perform Transplants
- Ensure to test your soil: What is the soil type present in the garden? There are so many tricks to test basic things like pH and other characteristics
- Check with local farmers around you or check online for the best sources of seeds for your plants
- Research to find the plants which are better suited for direct seeding or the ones that are better suited for transplants.
- For plants that are better suited for transplant, find small containers or pots to plant them, putting in mind to make sure that the size of the box is proportional to the size of the plant to allow the plant to root well.
- Keep a close eye for signs that show a decline in plant health, such as damage from insects or discolouration of leaves due to diseases.
- Ensure to use preventive measures such as Pesticides and herbicides to stop harmful pests and weeds from wreaking havoc in your garden.
Tips to a Successful Garden
- Work out your schedule to ensure you have enough time to take care of your garden or employ proper hands.
- Diligently watch the plants, most notably the young ones who are more likely to get destroyed.
- Ensure adequate spacing of seeds when planting
- Make sure the plants have proper access to water and sunlight
- Keep pets and animals away from the newly planted section of the garden
- Try to join a local or online community of garden owners and also follow news, blogs, and trends that can help increase your knowledge.
In conclusion, starting a garden isn’t such a small project. It requires your constant attention to keep it in the excellent shape we all want love to see. If you can’t give it your continuous time, it will be best to stay away from such a project—best of luck with your garden projects.
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