There's no point in planting anything until you know if the soil you have is adequate. It is not always necessary to test the soil in container gardens, especially if they are new, but it is very important in existing raised beds and in all buried gardens. You can do it yourself or call your university extension for help testing the soil. Retest the soil before each growing season to determine what it may need.
The hardening process can take seven to 10 days. Start by placing all the new plants outside in the shade on a cloudy day for a few hours (start with two or three) and, at the end of that time, place them back inside. Over the next week, repeat this process, but each day increases the amount of time your plants spend outside and reduce how often you water them (without allowing them to wilt). After a few days when they do well in 10 to 12 hours outside, let your plants spend a few days of 24 hours outside.
If they make it through successfully, they are ready to be planted. A good size for a beginner vegetable garden is 6 x 6 feet. Select up to five types of vegetables to grow and plant some of each type. You'll have plenty of fresh produce for your summer meals and it'll be easy for you to keep up with the tasks of the household.
Growing vegetables in pots is also a good place to start. With them, you don't even need a patio; a sunny deck or balcony works well. Pay close attention to the description on the package, label or seed label. Each vegetable variety has certain characteristics. Some produce smaller plants ideal for pots or small gardens.
Other varieties offer better disease resistance, better yields, or better tolerance to heat or cold. Start by choosing the vegetables you like to eat and then analyze their sizes and care needs. Like all plants, vegetables need the sun to start photosynthesis. Fastest-growing vegetables need full sun, at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight a day without trees, shrubs, or fences obstructing them.
That's why you won't have much success if you plant sun-loving vegetables in shady spaces. If your garden offers partial shade, plant vegetables and herbs that tolerate those conditions, such as lettuce, kale, chard, spinach, chives, coriander, parsley, and thyme. Root vegetables, such as carrots, radishes, and beets, can also work if your site gets at least 4 hours of direct sunlight a day. Or if you have a sunny patio, switch to container gardening.
That way, you can place sun-loving vegetables and herbs, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, basil, dill, and rosemary, wherever they do well. Place plants in rows at least 18 inches apart so you can easily walk between them. This approach is best suited for large orchards, as rows facilitate the use of mechanical equipment, such as tillers, to combat weeds. The downside is that the space reserved for trails reduces the amount of vegetables you can plant.
Increase the productivity of your garden with intensive cultivation, which means placing two or three plants together in a bed about 4 feet wide (also known as a wide row). The seeds are sown or the transplants are placed so that their leaves are barely touched when they are ripe. This method, which uses almost every square centimeter of prepared soil, works well for most types of vegetables, except those obtained with grapevines, such as cucumbers. The disadvantage of this method is that you have to weed by hand because the plants grow close together.
In addition, analyzing the soil in which you want to grow food will reveal important details, such as pH and nutrient levels. Knowing what you're going to start with is essential to know what types of soil amendments you might need to add and in what quantity, so you'll avoid wasting or not adding enough. If you have a small space or live in an urban environment, you can still create a beautiful and abundant vertical garden. Try planting succulents, flowering vines, ornamental grasses, fruits and vegetables. On fences and walls, use wall pockets, wall bags, reused bottles, or trellises to build your garden.
If you don't have a fence or wall to build a vertical garden, you can find stackable vertical planters at garden stores to start your garden. Wondering how to start a garden? Haven't you ever worked in the garden? There's no problem. Make your dreams of growing your own come true with these 10 easy-to-follow tips. The most essential tools that will help you a lot are a fork and a shovel. I would recommend spending what you can afford to get the best you can.
If you've just bought a new home, it's more than likely that it comes with a garden. It can be properly maintained and filled with many wonderful plants, which are grown without being cared for and you don't even know where to start or simply on a plot of land with no vegetation in sight. Whatever your situation, here are the things to do first. Special consideration should be given if you have children or pets. Perhaps, you can opt for a simple garden design with plants that grow easily and require less maintenance. If you have purchased a garden with poorly maintained borders, check which plants you like and keep them.
If it is full of dead or unwanted debris, you must remove them. If there are dead plants and branches, remove them. If there are unsightly or overcrowded shrub areas, fix them. If you have purchased a very neglected garden, you may need to prune the shrubs to stimulate proper plant growth.
You may need to prune them 4 to 8 inches away from the ground. Although it may appear bare for the time being, it will allow the shrub to rejuvenate and grow in a healthier way.
