5 Tips for Gardening at Home
Since the pandemic started, gardening became one of the biggest trends. Being a budding gardener is a hard task, especially if it’s the first time you’re handling a shovel and a rake. Sometimes, it feels like a hobby you can’t seem to start but no. You’re not the only one.
Growing your garden is not just about finding the aesthetic pot, perfect gloves, or proper equipment. If you’re still stuck in a rut, here are five tips on how to grow your garden in your backyard, front porch, or on a small plot.
The first step in gardening is to prepare the soil.
Choosing the right spot with the right soil is important in gardening. The growth of your plants relies heavily on soil quality. The best soil for planting is loam, which is composed of silt, clay, and sand.
At first, this soil might look gooey but they keep the soil healthy. Once the spot is chosen, prepare it by loosening the soil with a shovel. Afterward, dig six to eight inches deep. Add several inches of compost. Always make sure that the spot you choose can get enough sunlight. Build a raised bed by adding a lot of organic matter to the soil.
Food peelings, fallen leaves, grass clippings, and even wilted flowers can be used as manure. Animal manure, however, consists mainly of animal waste that has broken down and rotted. To secure the soil, frame or fence your beds using pieces of wood or plastic frames.
Pick the crops and seeds you want to grow.
In gardening, it is important to ask how to sow the seeds of the plants you choose. It’s best to know their needs and the conditions they need to thrive. Each plant is different. Some like lots of water while some don’t. Others follow a specific schedule about when they should be out in the sun or placed indoors.
Knowing their nature will help you take better care of them. Select plants that are suitable for your garden. Plants that are well-adapted to our tropical climate and conditions will thrive without too many complications. Some start-up plants include tomatoes and bell pepper plants. Plants like them can grow peacefully on their own without all the fuss.
When watering your plants, don’t drown the plants with too much water. Always check the soil’s moisture by pressing the earth with your bare hands to gauge how much water you need to put more.
In gardening, you must learn to weed out the weeds.
Control weeds without the usage of herbicides through mulching. Mulching means covering the surface of the soil with a layer of material. Cover the soil surface with fallen leaves, shredded newspapers, grass clippings, and other biodegradable materials. This layer will not only prevent the weeds from sprouting. It will also block sunlight to avoid weed growth and conserves soil moisture.
Use a stirrup-style hoe to get rid of weeds. If you want to be a great gardener, you have to get used to weeding. You can also prevent insect attacks by making sure that your plants aren’t too wet, too dry, or too shaded. Encourage pest protectors like ladybugs, lizards, birds, and even frogs in your garden. They pose as predators of the nasty insects roaming your plots.
Make a good compost pit.
You can make your own compost pit by digging a hole approximately three feet long and three feet wide. Pile your organic waste including some soil into the hole. Keep the pile moist but not soggy. Regularly turn it in with a shovel every couple of weeks.
There is a lot of trash in your home that can be used as an organic fertilizer, only if processed properly. Fruit peelings, fallen leaves, animal waste, old newspapers, dead flowers, and other scraps are great materials to add to your compost pit. A good compost pit takes about 6 months to approximately a year to make.
Always keep your gardening tools in one place.
Some staple gardening materials include gloves, pots, a trusty hoe, a fork, a sturdy rake, and a good old shovel. These will help you maintain your garden, and aid you while doing all the dirty work.
Be sure to always take good care of them. Wash and wipe them clean after using them. Keep them in a toolbox or a shed. This way, they won’t rust and go missing. If needed, use oil to make these tools function as well as new, especially those that need to be consistently sharp like grass cutters and scissors.
Anyways, you don’t have to be afraid or ashamed of being a beginner. You might be a rookie in the gardening game, but don’t worry. We’ve all been there. We’ve all experienced starting from zero. Growing plants isn’t easy but it doesn’t mean that it can’t be done. The seeds you planted will grow and adorn your self-made garden. They will be paraded as the fruits of your labor. Gardening isn’t a rosy nor a casual hobby, but it pays off a lot through flowers, fruits, or more seeds. Moreover, it fulfills the soul and nourishes our well-being. Want to read more articles like this? Click here.
