Your Cart is Empty
Gardening is arguably one of the most truly positive pursuits that anyone can undertake. It has a great roster of health benefits that runs the gamut from improving hand-eye coordination to better sleep, as well as getting copious amounts of sunshine to heart health. On top of that, eating from your garden will promote a healthy lifestyle. The mental health benefits are just as impressive, too, reducing stress and helping you develop a more positive mindset (to name a few), even at the worst of times.
Starting a garden is clearly something worth doing and may even be exactly what the doctor ordered, wherever you might be in life. You might even be surprised to find that even the most clueless wannabe gardeners can easily start their own green sanctuary — and yes, this includes you! So, let’s go over the nitty-gritty of starting your very first garden.
Start with Research
Like everything else, you need to start with good, old-fashioned research when you have a mind to start a garden from scratch. The truth of the matter is that a garden is a multifaceted thing that includes much more than simply soil and plants, and it’s this due diligence that will have you puttering around in yours in due course.
First thing’s first — you’ll need to learn about soil, which is the very foundation of your garden. Not all soil is created equal, after all, and you’ll need to learn all about soil pH levels and types as this will ultimately dictate which plants you can grow on it — which, by the way, varies by geography. Not only that, but you also have to learn all about keeping your soil healthy, usually by composting, which is another process in and of itself.
Other things you’ll need to study and get to know on an intimate level include planting techniques (e.g., do you grow certain plants from seeds or replant potted specimens?), weeds and pests (undoubtedly the bane of a gardener’s existence), mulching — the list goes on.
Decide What You Want to Grow
Of course, you also have to determine what to grow in your garden, as well as the why of it. Again, this largely depends on where you are in the world. But even so, you do have options for your garden, be it pretty flowers and shrubbery or vegetables that you can consume. Of course, other factors come into play, too, when choosing what to plant, such as shade and even which direction your garden is facing.
No doubt, a vegetable garden is a truly compelling option as it has the potential to make your household self-sufficient as you grow your own food, which, in turn, can do great things for the environment. The real challenge is in determining which vegetables to grow as it’s really not as simple as choosing your favorites. It’s a good idea, therefore, to again consider geography, as well as other parameters, such as the amount of space you have available and the amount of time you can devote to gardening.
Apropos of flower gardens, you might find that there’s an overwhelming number of flowering plants and bushes to choose from. Moreover, you’ll need to take great care in planning its overall design, to achieve the kind of cohesion that makes for a gorgeous landscape, rather than just keeping it random.
Get Invaluable Guidance
For sure, there’s a lot to take in, when it comes to learning about gardening and subsequently starting your own green space. Budget permitting, it can be an excellent idea to hire landscapers in your area to help you with the basics, as well as get your garden set up according to your specifications while taking into account your space, time, and commitment constraints.
Worried that your garden may infringe on your neighbor’s property? A professional property surveyor can identify the boundaries of your property so you can confidently plant your garden without worry.
Suffice it to say, starting a garden will require a great deal of effort from you. It will entail educating yourself and then putting everything that you’ve learned in action, which may even lead to some hits and misses. Just keep at it because although you’re not going to develop a green thumb overnight, you’re going to get it right eventually. When that happens, you’ll have your lush and verdant garden to speak of your efforts.
Author: Julia Merrill
www.Befriendyourdoc.org
Photo via Pexels.com
Comments will be approved before showing up.
Keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. Many diseases and conditions are spread by not washing hands with soap and clean, running water.
