Some of you, who haven’t participated in the joy of gardening because you have certain concerns including the time you will have to invest in the hobby, should give it another chance. Although it is true that you will have to invest a lot of time tending a garden, you might be surprised with your response.
In order to relieve your concerns take a slow start in the new hobby. Nothing has to be completed in a day.
There are a lot of benefits to gardening including adding beauty to your property and giving you a great hobby to take up your time.
(Courtesy: KaChu at flickr.com)
If you want to pursue the creation of a garden you need to do some preliminary research. For example, each region of the country confronts different weather and climate patterns that can affect what plants you put into your garden and how to care for them. So you need to learn more about the region in which you live. Consult with representatives at the nearest nursery and get to know the US Department of Agriculture’s Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The map offers information about all the different regions of the U.S. and helps you determine what plants will thrive in your garden.
Next, test your soil. Plants need a variety of nutrients to ensure their health and help them resist diseases or other problems. You can consult with your local nursery or contact the cooperative extension at your state’s university. They can tell you how to test your soil or can recommend someone who can.
Once you have an idea on the nutrient levels of your soil and also have familiarized yourself with the Hardiness Zone Map, you can start to select plants to grow in your garden.
Start with easy plants. Gardening experts suggest that a good way to begin is to grow vegetables. It does not take a long time for them to grow. So if you make a mistake, you haven’t wasted a lot of time. There is also the benefit of being able to eat what you grow. Other plants to consider starting with include sunflowers and ferns.
Sunflowers grow quickly and tall and ferns are very easy to grow. Both of these plants do well in just about every region of the country.
Keep in mind that nothing involving gardening needs to be rushed. In effect, you have all the time in the world. However, since time isn’t really a factor, then you need to create a plan. For example, different plants grow to different dimensions. Knowing how big a plant will grow can help you plan out your garden and place the plants at proper distances from one another so that there is no crowding. For example, some gardening experts note that perennials live for more than two years and should be spaced about 18-inches apart. These same experts also point out that different plants grow to different heights. They suggest that the shorter plants be placed in the front and edges of the garden bed and the taller plants in the back.
Gardening experts also suggest that you note the progress of your garden in a journal. It helps you keep track of the process. You can also use the journal to jot down information on plants that you see in other people’s gardens that you may want to include in your own. If you see a plant that interests you, note it in the journal and then do some research on it and include that in the journal as well.
As you know, maintaining a garden is a seasonal affair. So it is important that you keep a calendar on what you need to do each season to maintain the garden. That would include when to fertilize, when to plant, etc. Consult with a representative at your nursery to help you create the calendar.
Finally, be patient. Gardening is a process that doesn’t have to be done in a day or even a week. Remember that impatience can cause you to do such things as overwater or be concerned that the plants are not growing fast enough. Just keep cool, don’t rush and enjoy.
