Gardening means growing and caring for plants, either as an enjoyable hobby, to produce food, or to make beautiful landscapes with aesthetically arranged flowers, trees and shrubs. To some people, gardening is a form of exercise, and a way to save money on food. Gardening is also a profession for others. Gardeners produce plants in smaller quantities, using manual tools, such as rakes, spades, and hoes, as well as small power tools like mowers and tillers.
Starting a home garden can be a very interesting task for those who enjoy it. However there are very few things you need to know and do in order to make you a successful home Gardner in a very short time.
Your Garden Site: this is about the first thing you need to do when starting up a garden. First, you need an area that is exposed to either a full sunlight or a near full supply of sunlight. You also need a site that is near a water outlet where your plants will not have to compete with other shrubs or trees. Almost every site can make a good choice if you can modify certain cultural practices and crop selections. You also need to consider size in choosing a site. Make sure you map out just the size you can cope with.
Crop Selection: What kind of crops or vegetables do you want to grow in your garden? This also depends on the size of your garden. There are crops to grow on a large and a small sized garden. You need the right variety of crops to experience a high yield.
Garden Plan: You have to develop a plan that is commensurate with the kind of crops you want to grow in your garden and their growing periods. For example, plant longer term crops in locations where they won’t interfere with the smaller crops. You can plant your tall vegetables on the northern side of your garden so you don’t shade the lower crops. Group your crops according to maturity rates.
Know when to plant. There are planting seasons for each group of crops. You need to understand the proper planting time for each crop so that you can achieve a maximum productivity.
Preparing the Soil. This is a vital step towards preparing your home garden. Your vegetable needs a well drained, deep fertile soil to develop well. Apply 1 to 2 inches of good sand and 2 to 3 inches of organic matter to the garden site surface in the early spring to improve the soil’s fertility. Also add more of composted materials, grass clippings, peanut hauls and others, turning the soil to an 8-10 depth. Make sure you don’t introduce pest, so doing. Thorough preparation reduces the work of planting and caring for the crop.
Fertilization is something you also have to know well when preparing your home garden. You need to be conversant with the kind of soil needed in your area and the kind of additional mineral nutrients that may be needed in the soil to enhance plants growth. Fertilizers are to be applied few days after planting.
Planting: It is needful to plant your garden as early as possible either in the spring or fall, to enable the vegetables grow and mature during the ideal conditions. All activities like transplanting, replanting, must be done the proper way.
Watering: Most gardens need a moisture supply of at least 1 inch of rain a week during the growing season. There is also a need for irrigation where applicable.
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