Gardening
The thing to remember while gardening is to start small.
There are many types of gardens and deciding what type of garden
you want may be the largest challenge. We have serveral
articles on this site to narrow down what type of garden you may
desire. For the traditional outdoor garden with soil, this
article may suffice. Try a small plant bed, about 25 or 30
feet square is perfect. This is just enough room
for about 30 plants. This will give you a chance to try
out your green thumb.
Many find that they enjoy their gardens. If
this is something you enjoy, you may decide to expand and
increase your plantings. We'll cover watering, soil and soil
maintenance shortly. I've known people who have the land for
gardening, yet watering the garden was the largest challenge.
Soil and the location of the garden is next.
Before Gardening Your
Garden
The next thing you will want to do is choose a site and ensure
that watering your garden will not be an issue. Gardening must be
done in an area that gets at least six hours of sunlight. Try
and stay away from large trees that will take your plants water and
nutrients, and at least three feet from any fences or
buildings.
In hot climates it is a good idea to choose a place that will
have shade from a part of the intense afternoon sun. It is
possible to have a healthy garden with even ten to twelve hours of
sunlight, but the type of plants must be adaptable. Ensure
there are watering available and that watering won't hinder your
garden or surroundings. While soil can always be improved, a
site with good soil is a plus. Avoid areas that have rocky
soil, steep slopes, or areas where water stands. This would
eventually kill the plants.
Outdoor Gardening
Seeds or Plants
Now comes the fun part: start digging. Gardening is not a
clean hobby; you’re going to have to get some dirt under your
nails. First remove the rocks, debris, and any grass and
weeds then dig the spot up about one foot deep. Level up the
dirt and add compost or minerals if the needed. If your soil
is too acidic, add lime; if it is too sandy, add peat moss.
Plants will thrive in neutral to acidic soil with a little added
fertilizer. Ph balance is one of the major keys to having
healthy plants.
If you buy seeds then plant them according to the
directions. If picking plants, choose ones with green,
healthy looking leaves and stems and healthy roots. Put the
smaller plants towards the front of the bed and larger plants in
the back. The key to a successful beginning in gardening is
planting at the right time. Make sure and wait until the
frosts are over before planting. If you are planting seeds
the package will usually tell you exactly when you can plant them
to achieve maximum growth.
Watering Plants and Soil
Maintenance
Once you have started and gotten into gardening, making sure
your plants receive enough water is essential to their
growth. Hand watering works well if you only have a few
plants. Other options include sprinklers or sprinkler
hoses. Watering is more effective during the cooler parts of
the day. The type of plant will depend on how much water is
needed, but most require about an inch per week. During the
hottest periods plants will be need watering about three times per
week.
One of the most helpful things to add to a garden is mulch or
compost. Just a few inches of organic mulch will improve
fertility and help the soil hold moisture. Wood chips, grass
clippings, leaves, manure, and pine needles are all things that can
be used as mulch.
There are many gardening tools online to assist with having the
most ideal garden for you. We have articles and products
listed to get your started or to enhance your current garden.
Many people want a self sufficient life. Here are a few
products we found online:
Organic Gardening How To Double Your Tomatoes
Organic Gardening At Home Tips
Our Organic Gardening Articles:
- Organic Gardening Garden Soil Plants
Find out typs on organic gardening. Picking the right soil, plants, and seeds will help your organic garden.
- Container Gardening Grow Vegetables Plants
Container gardening can be achieved in small living quarters and apartments. Many types of plants and vegetables will grow in containers.
- Hydroponic Gardening - Hydroponic Growing
Hydroponic gardening will allow growing plants with nutrients. The hydroponic nutrients helps with growing plants inside. Hydroponic systems work with proper ph balance.
- Plant Indoor Gardening - Indoor Plants Garden
Indoor gardening can be an overlooked option. Plants can flourish inside with proper lighting and temperatures. A plant can sustain itself indoors in a garden.
- Planting A Vegetable Garden - Gardening Vegetables
Planting a vegetable garden is fun. Gardening vegetables are well worth the gardening efforts. Vegetable gardening and planting pays with the the great vegetables you are able to grow.
Organic Gardening Videos
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