Gardening is among the top choices for a hobby. it’s not just an additional accessory for your home but is also a good way to relax your mind from your busy schedule. Even better, some people find that gardening helps their mental health. Perhaps the reason behind this is the time you spend taking care of the plants which by itself is able to relieve those bugging thoughts that have been in your mind for so long. In a way, gardening is a great way to give yourself a break. But just before you pick those shovel and hoes, read on so you can make the most out of your gardening adventure.
Make a decision
Many get confused about gardening when they start. Most urban dwellers associate gardening with flowers and a beautiful lawn. That makes sense as homeowners create their garden as a way to accentuate the otherwise bare front lawn. But there are those that try to maximize their lots but planting vegetables. With that, before you start filling your plot decide on what plants you would like to be in your garden. Do you like to have a thriving lawn or you wanted something that can offer some sort of beautification but with other purposes? Deciding your purpose will define your gardening path for a long term commitment.
Choose the right spot sunny location
Now that you have decided on your purpose you need then choose the best location for your plants. Remember that plants need more than just water and fertilizer. Sunlight is a vital need for growing plants. Sunlight is used by plants for their photosynthesis, a way to make their own food. Thus, it makes sense that you shoes a spot with enough sunlight. Choose a pot with very minimal shade as plants will start to follow sunlight which can alter their growth patterns, the direction in which the leaves and stem grow towards. With exposure to direct sunlight, your plants will grow upwards and not sideways.
Have the right tools at hand
Many people scrimp on tools when doing gardening. Then they try to tell you that they are having a hard time preparing their lawn. This is where having the right tools comes in a huge advantage. if you have started you need to have a fancy tool. A good quality shovel, a hoe, gloves, pruner, and trowel should get you going. Now you need to water your plants, this can be implemented in a multitude of ways but the easiest would be to have a watering can. But if you have an expansive garden this can tedious. With that, installing a gardening hose will work for your benefit. Of course, there are other techniques such as drip irrigation but the above-mentioned tools can get you started in pretty good shape.
Prepare the soil
One thing that you need to spend time before you start planting or seeding is to prepare your soil. Cultivating the soil has a huge impact on your plant root growth. Proper soil preparation also drives out the weeds that could otherwise absorb nutrients intended for your plants.
It also a good thing to pay attention to the quality of the soil during your preparation. Some soil does log water which can affect how your plants grow. Take note that there are plants that love being watered in a regular basis but will start to wilt while the roots are submerged for more than a day. At such it is a must that you choose your plants according to your location and soil condition and type.
Still, if you really wanted to grow something but may not be suitable for your soil there is a commercially available growing medium that was prepared with an appropriate combination of soil and organic materials. This basically has a much better consistency thus drains well and permits the plant roots to grow better.
Choose the right variety
In conjunction with soil preparation, you should choose a plant that would suit your location. Take for instance if you live in a place that receives a high amount of sun or perhaps your place receives a huge amount of rainfall year-round. Having the right plants for these conditions will make your gardening experience much easier and better.
Of course, you can make use of a greenhouse to control the environmental aspect of growing plants but that would expensive and tedious at times. If you simply want a beautiful and flourishing garden in your front yard, choosing appropriate plants will do wonders for your effort.
Commit to your schedule
As with any hobby or activity, gardening requires attention. Watering, fertilizing, weeding, cultivating, pruning. These are just the basic stuff you need to do to keep your gardening successful. Now don’t juts and stop your plans because of these. The thing is, you may not have to do this every day. Your simple have to commit days on a week to do this stuff so you can maintain your garden.
Remember that gardening is not just a and ordinary endeavor, it is a form of art as well. You may never have the looking garden for years. After a few months, you may want to alter this and that or you maybe need to change your plants. You need to adjust according to your garden’s needs, the way you wanted it to look. Planting is just one part of so many parts to achieve what you have in mind when you started your garden. And being committed to it will spell success for you.
Also Read: 10 Tips to Maintain your Garden throughout the Year
Research the small stuff
In the long run, problems will soon arise. Other than unwanted weeds growing out of nowhere, pests can sometimes become your problem. For that, you need to watch out for withering leaves. It’s often a sign that a problem may have been lurking.
Aphids, thrips, slugs, snails. What is common with these animals is that they love sucking plant juices. They thrive from healthy plants. I see one around you need to see how much the problem is. Another sign that pests have gone through your garden is cut leaves. Caterpillars are especially guilty of this.
Most people will just use an insecticide to solve this problem, especially in agricultural lands. But with your home garden that could be tricky as children and other people around may be allergic to the ingredients which can cause more problems than actually solve it. A better approach would be to use natural methods. These often employ organic materials to deter the attack. This ensures safety for everyone around your garden including yourself.
Keep learning
Gardening can be challenging at times. For that, you must have the attitude of a learner. You can never learn everything in a single sitting or instance. This comparable to and adventure you have been longing to do for a long time, you need to be constantly learning you go on your journey.
Giving yourself enough time and experience will make you a better gardener in due time. and even after such time, you must always be in a lookout for the changes in your garden., learning about the small stuff that can make or break your experience.
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Author Bio:
Lowell has been a ghostwriter and blogger for 5 years. He enjoys writing topics in health, fitness, mental health, and home DIY. He is also an active writer in Hubpages.com. You may visit his page @ https://hubpages.com/@ljes16
