How to Grow a Garden
Decide what you like best about the garden., Pick out plants to grow., Choose a space for the garden to expand into., Get gardening supplies.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Decide what you like best about the garden.
Gardens are personal.
Everyone has a different approach, and factors like space, climate, and your own aesthetic determine what type of garden will work for you.
Some people have gardens that are a mix of vegetables and flowers, and other people have gardens that are dominated by one type of plant.
Choose the balance that makes the most sense for you.
Do you want to be able to eat what you grow? Perhaps adding more vegetables is the right choice.
You could also have a smaller herb garden and still enjoy your plants in the kitchen.
If adding color and beauty to your yard is your primary desire, expand your garden by adding flowers.
If you live in a hot, dry climate, you could have a succulents garden. -
Step 2: Pick out plants to grow.
Now that you've decided how you want to develop your garden, it's time to pick out plants.
Here are some other factors you'll need to take into account:
Your climate.
The plants you pick out must be able to thrive in your particular growing region.The temperature, humidity, and seasons have a big effect on plants.
The conditions in your yard or growing area.
Do you have full sun all day long, or is your yard mostly shaded? What plants are currently thriving in your garden or backyard? Try adding new varieties of plants that are already doing well.
Your soil's chemical makeup.
Get a soil testing kit and figure out your soil's pH and acidity levels.
Some plants do well in all types of soil, while others need specific conditions.Talk with an employee at a local garden store or nursery to get more information about what grows well in your area. , Look for an area that's relatively free of large rocks, roots, trees, and other objects that could make it more difficult to till the soil and plant a garden.
Choose a spot with good soil drainage and sunlight.Choose to make the garden a geometric shape or plant it along a border or the natural curve of your yard.
Consider the space in your garden as a resource and find ways to use it more efficiently as you expand and grow your garden.
Vegetable gardens usually require a lot of sunlight, while some flower gardens to better with partial shade.
Figure out what conditions you need for the specific types of plants you're growing.
Plan to have the garden within view of your home, so you can enjoy it from the window.
Anyone can have a garden
- even those without a yard.
If your soil isn't great, you can have a raised bed garden, and if you don't have much space, try a container garden.
Expanding your garden can be as simple as breaking ground near your existing garden or re-arranging what is already there to make your space more efficient. , Expanding a garden requires a lot of different equipment and supplies, but after you invest in gardening tools you won't need to spend as much in the years to come.
Determine which of the following supplies you'll need for the type of garden you're growing.
Simple hand tools are fine for small gardens, but anything larger than a few yards squared will be easier to handle with bigger machines.
Buy seeds or seedlings.
Check out your local nursery or order from a catalog.
Seeds are usually started indoors a few months before the planting season begins, while seedlings should be purchased just a day or two before you plant them.
Seeds are more cost effective, especially if you are scaling up your garden.
Get the type of fertilizer you need for the plants you're growing.
Fertilizer like bone meal, blood meal, or compost adds nutrients to the soil that help plants grow healthy and strong.
Mulch and topsoil are required to protect some types of plants in the early stages of growth.
Basic gardening equipment like a shovel, spade, and garden rake are required.
You can pick these up at a hardware store.A soil tiller is very convenient for larger gardens as it can save you effort and time when breaking new ground.
Tillers are used to break up the soil until the texture is fine enough for new plants to penetrate.
Consider renting one to do the heavy work, and maintain your garden area with hand tools A garden hose may not be strictly necessary, but you'll need one unless you want to tote water from the indoor faucet to the garden.
Alternatively, you can install a sprinkler system.
Electronic timing devices can save even more time by automating when they turn on and how much water they use.
For vegetable gardens, you might want to consider getting fencing supplies to create a small barrier that will keep out animals who want to eat your crop. -
Step 3: Choose a space for the garden to expand into.
-
Step 4: Get gardening supplies.
Detailed Guide
Gardens are personal.
Everyone has a different approach, and factors like space, climate, and your own aesthetic determine what type of garden will work for you.
Some people have gardens that are a mix of vegetables and flowers, and other people have gardens that are dominated by one type of plant.
Choose the balance that makes the most sense for you.
Do you want to be able to eat what you grow? Perhaps adding more vegetables is the right choice.
You could also have a smaller herb garden and still enjoy your plants in the kitchen.
If adding color and beauty to your yard is your primary desire, expand your garden by adding flowers.
If you live in a hot, dry climate, you could have a succulents garden.
Now that you've decided how you want to develop your garden, it's time to pick out plants.
Here are some other factors you'll need to take into account:
Your climate.
The plants you pick out must be able to thrive in your particular growing region.The temperature, humidity, and seasons have a big effect on plants.
The conditions in your yard or growing area.
Do you have full sun all day long, or is your yard mostly shaded? What plants are currently thriving in your garden or backyard? Try adding new varieties of plants that are already doing well.
Your soil's chemical makeup.
Get a soil testing kit and figure out your soil's pH and acidity levels.
Some plants do well in all types of soil, while others need specific conditions.Talk with an employee at a local garden store or nursery to get more information about what grows well in your area. , Look for an area that's relatively free of large rocks, roots, trees, and other objects that could make it more difficult to till the soil and plant a garden.
Choose a spot with good soil drainage and sunlight.Choose to make the garden a geometric shape or plant it along a border or the natural curve of your yard.
Consider the space in your garden as a resource and find ways to use it more efficiently as you expand and grow your garden.
Vegetable gardens usually require a lot of sunlight, while some flower gardens to better with partial shade.
Figure out what conditions you need for the specific types of plants you're growing.
Plan to have the garden within view of your home, so you can enjoy it from the window.
Anyone can have a garden
- even those without a yard.
If your soil isn't great, you can have a raised bed garden, and if you don't have much space, try a container garden.
Expanding your garden can be as simple as breaking ground near your existing garden or re-arranging what is already there to make your space more efficient. , Expanding a garden requires a lot of different equipment and supplies, but after you invest in gardening tools you won't need to spend as much in the years to come.
Determine which of the following supplies you'll need for the type of garden you're growing.
Simple hand tools are fine for small gardens, but anything larger than a few yards squared will be easier to handle with bigger machines.
Buy seeds or seedlings.
Check out your local nursery or order from a catalog.
Seeds are usually started indoors a few months before the planting season begins, while seedlings should be purchased just a day or two before you plant them.
Seeds are more cost effective, especially if you are scaling up your garden.
Get the type of fertilizer you need for the plants you're growing.
Fertilizer like bone meal, blood meal, or compost adds nutrients to the soil that help plants grow healthy and strong.
Mulch and topsoil are required to protect some types of plants in the early stages of growth.
Basic gardening equipment like a shovel, spade, and garden rake are required.
You can pick these up at a hardware store.A soil tiller is very convenient for larger gardens as it can save you effort and time when breaking new ground.
Tillers are used to break up the soil until the texture is fine enough for new plants to penetrate.
Consider renting one to do the heavy work, and maintain your garden area with hand tools A garden hose may not be strictly necessary, but you'll need one unless you want to tote water from the indoor faucet to the garden.
Alternatively, you can install a sprinkler system.
Electronic timing devices can save even more time by automating when they turn on and how much water they use.
For vegetable gardens, you might want to consider getting fencing supplies to create a small barrier that will keep out animals who want to eat your crop.
About the Author
Matthew Taylor
Brings years of experience writing about DIY projects and related subjects.
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