How to Plant a Garden
How to Plant a Garden
You’ve thought about growing your own garden for some time, have even done a little research into what plants you would like to grow, so now it’s time to learn how to plant that garden you will cherish for years to come. While understand how to plant a garden is vital to having a healthy and successful one, it isn’t all that complicated and you shouldn’t feel intimidated by the process. After all, once you know how to plant a garden, you’ll wonder why you never tried it earlier.
The first thing to consider is the size of your garden. Don’t plan something that will be larger than you can handle. Knowing how to grow a garden starts with understanding your limits. Your neighbor may have an acre of garden with perfectly manicured and maintained rows, but this doesn’t mean you have to compete with him. He, or she, has most likely been doing this for many, many years. Since this is your first attempt, keep your ambitions in check and think small.
The next point of consideration in knowing how to grow a garden is location. If you have a house with ample yard space, then it’s best to keep your garden away from structures, like your home, a garage, or even trees. This way your garden will get the ample sunlight it needs.
The garden should have good drainage, but shouldn’t be a dry location. You also want to make sure that you have easy access to a hose or other water supply. There’s nothing that will defeat good ambitions more than unnecessary effort. If you have to drag a hose one hundred feet out to your garden every time your need to water it, then you’ll soon be leaving that hose in the grass, then the lawn mower will have to roll it back up, and you’ll have to drag it back out there. Find a place that makes this process as simple and unobtrusive as possible is an important step to understanding how to grow a garden, not just planting one.
Now, knowing where is just as important as understanding how to plant your garden. Measure out the size of your garden and create an enclosed space. Preferably you will use wooden boards as a border to protect your garden from imposing grasses or even weed whackers. Once you’ve chosen an ideal location, it’s imperative that you have a plan.
Decide which plants or vegetables or herbs you would like to start with and remember, keep it simple. Don’t start out with a dozen different plants; keep it to six and you’ll be able to increase your quantity next season, once you have the hang of the process. When you decide which plants to start with, you’ll want to know whether wildlife is attracted to them. Rabbits and deer are some of the most common nuisances to gardens, so if you’ve chosen plants that they find a delicacy, then invest in some wire mesh or fencing to protect them.
Now, one of the most important things to consider when learning how to plant that garden of yours is that preparing the soil, the rows should be done in the fall or early winter for a spring planting. Start with fresh seeds of your chosen varieties and use double rows for such plants as lettuce, turnips, onions, beets, and carrots. Of course, it’s a good idea to check with your local nursery for details on each plant you decide to grow.
This is a basic starter guide on how to plant a garden and there are more steps to making sure your garden is fruitful and long lasting.
