Gardening is both a good hobby and a very productive project. To have a small home garden of your own is a wonderful idea. It proves a very adventurous task as well because it is also not too easy to undertake at times. You will have to be very vigilant about this from time to time. We have worked out the various steps involved in the creation of a small home garden. These are ten very useful steps to make it possible for you to dig into your first garden adventure.
- When to plant
You cannot plant each and everything at each and every time if you want to get perfect results. You should start your planning before the snow melts and begin digging and planting just at the start of spring, the best time for growing. You will spend your whole spring digging and planting your new plants and the summer watering, weeding and watching your young plants grow handsomely. However, it is much better to plant trees, shrubs, bulbs and some perennials during the autumn. So, when to plant depends on what to plant.
- Decide what to plant
You may develop a vegetable garden, an herb garden, a flower garden or an all-round garden depending upon your inclination and the availability of space in your house. Whatever you choose, start at a small scale because it is always better to succeed a little than to fail grandly.
- Pick a place
You must select the portion of your house most suitable for gardening. It must receive sunlight for most of the time of the day because almost all the vegetables and most flowers need about six hours of full sun every day. Watch how the sun moves across your selected space before you finalize it for your upcoming garden. Still no need to worry if you do not have a full sunny place, for many plants can grow in shade as well. You can consult with your local garden centre to find out how much sunlight a plant requires.
Secondly, your garden will need your rapt attention frequently, so it has to be within your eye-reach, and also close enough to a water spigot to be watered easily.
- Dig the ground
No sod should be there covering the area you want to plant. So get rid of all the sod at once. For the quick results, you can dig out the ground with a spade or spading fork bought from some legends like Bradshaws Direct, etc. The top 8 to 12 inches of soil must be removed but only when the soil is neither too wet nor too dry. Rather, it must be moist enough to form a loose ball in your fist but dry enough to fall apart when you drop it. Turn the soil only once a year if you have a vegetable garden or beds of annual flowers.
- Improve the fertility of soil
The fertility of all sorts of soil improves naturally and can be boosted by adding a 2 to 3 inch layer of simple organic matter. It includes compost, decayed leaves, dry grass clippings, old manure, etc. Nowadays, soil tests have been introduced to check what your soil lacks and how to enrich it.
- Select your plants
Always select the plants which suit the climate, soil and the span of sunlight in your garden place. Though you may search online, we have prepared a list for you to choose from.
- Vegetables
Lettuce, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Pumpkins, Chillies, etc.
- Annuals
Sunflowers, Marigolds, Cosmos, Geraniums, Zinnias, etc.
- Perennials
Russian sage, Lamb’s ears, Phlox, Pansies, Day lilies, Coneflowers, etc.
- Sow the seeds or plant the seedlings
You can sow the seeds or dig a hole and plunk the young plant or seedling in the ground. Sowing the seeds is not the same for various plants. You must get the information from the seed packet about when to plant, how deep to plant and how far apart to plant the seed. Also, the seeds and the seedlings should be moist but not wet, for they may rot if they are wet.
- Water frequently
Water your seeds, seedlings or transplants daily in the beginning for their rapid growth. Later on, their water needs depend upon your soil, climate, rain-fall, etc. Water slowly and deeply so that they may absorb or diffuse it inside. Watering early in the morning minimizes evaporation.
- Mulch
Mulch always helps keep the weeds out and water in. So cover your soil with a couple of inches of Mulch. Pine needles, Cocoa halts and bark chips may be used as Mulch.
- Be consistent
Your garden is quite ready now. You only need to be consistent with watering and weeding. Also fertilize it with a dry fertilizer halfway through the season. In case of a liquid fertilizer, use it every month.
In this way, you can plant a home garden of your own and proceed with it quite smoothly.
