5 Tips for Growing a Great Garden This Year

0
537

Whether it is summer or spring, warm or cold, you can get your garden off to a great start and have it looking fabulous at full bloom. The best part is that you don’t have to have a green thumb, you can simply follow these simple steps to creating a garden that will have you being the envy of the neighborhood. Even if a prize-winning garden isn’t your goal but simply to improve upon your existing garden, these tips will come in handy to make that happen.

  1. Start a Compost

Starting a compost now may not necessarily help this year, but it will be very useful in your future gardening needs. Not only will it come in handy for your garden, but it is a fantastic way to cut down on your household waste output. The key is to do your research on starting a compost. You will need to be familiar with the perfect compost ratio, the items from your household waste which you can include, where to keep the compost and how often to turn it over. From there, keeping up with a compost on a daily basis becomes second nature and in the end you will be left with dark, rich soil which will feed and nourish your gardens, whether flower beds or vegetable gardens.

  1. Get Your Existing Soil Tested

There is a minimal fee associated with this tip, however, it is well worth it since you will save yourself time and effort. You can have your soil tested at a local nursery or co-op center. If you call them, they should be able to point you in the right direction. You are testing the soil to see what you will need to do to make the soil work in the best way for your specific garden. The test will tell you if you need any additives, what the pH level is and if the texture is ideal for supporting flower or plant life.

  1. Prepare the Area

Preparation in the creation of a new or renewed garden will go a long way in determining the overall success you achieve. You should prepare your selected area by ensuring you garden won’t be overrun with weeds or grass. The best way to do this is to till the soil. This means a little bit of work on your part, but this first step will remove the existing grass and weeds from the root to prevent possible regrowth. From there, lay down a weed-proofing mesh underlay, which is designed to stop any weeds which do grow, from sprouting through and choking out your flowers or plants.

  1. Start Delicate Plants Indoors

There is nothing wrong with giving your precious plants a little head start by starting off small. If you plant your delicate plants in a pot indoors to start, you can control the environment, the soil, the amount of light and water and watch closely for issues. Starting indoors to begin with is great if you live in a colder climate and want to get a jumpstart on warm weather. It isn’t expensive to get started since you only need a few pots, some potting soil and either seeds or seedlings.

  1. Plan and Choose Your Plants/Flowers

If you are new to gardening or are just starting a garden at a new home, then you should first plot out the types of flowers or plants you wish to have in your garden plan. If you are truly new at gardening, you should get familiar with a little garden terminology so that when you do head to the nursery for your foliage, you know exactly what to ask for and you understand what the staff are talking about.

Decide whether you would like perennials, annuals or start from bulbs. You also should consider how much light vs. shade your site receives throughout the day. This will help you determine which flowers might grow best and which ones to skip on.

If you have decided to grow a vegetable garden, plotting out your space is important to ensure there is adequate space for each type of vegetable. For a veggie garden, stick with vegetables that can be found locally to you, this is a good clue they will flourish in your garden.

Growing a great garden does not have to be a mystery or come from special magic. It does require some pre-planning plus a little effort, work and love. If you are willing to put in a little time, your garden will be looking fabulous at full bloom and you can then enjoy the colorful display or delicious vegetable yield depending which type of gardens you have decided to plant.