Hobbies trigger so many benefits and could easily be seen as the activities that balance us. They help us disconnect from our professional to-dos and daily house chores and bask in a realm where there are no deadlines or other such things that could put pressure on us.
If you’ve recently discovered that gardening is the hobby that best meets your interests, yet you don’t know where to start, you might find these tips to be of help. Gardening might be challenging at first, but following a few basic rules will help you turn it into a rewarding activity soon.
Finding the right location
Once you taste garden-fresh fruits and vegetables, gardening and growing your favorites will no longer seem that much of a challenge. Finding the right location is the thing to start with. The wrong location is likely to render your efforts fruitless.
If you decide on growing vegetables, yet the location you have at disposal is not the right one, there are great chances for the vegetables not to develop as expected. Consider the needs of the vegetables or plants you want to grow carefully before embarking on this journey and choose the location accordingly.
Most plants and vegetables require at least six hours of sunlight per day to thrive; therefore, identify that spot in your garden where there is enough direct sunlight. That won’t be enough for your plants to reach maturity and do so nicely if the soil quality is low, though. Soft soil is often recommended as it helps the plant roots penetrate it with greater ease.
You can use compost to enrich the soil with nutrients. Make sure that you add the compost properly and at the right time, though, and that you drain the soil as required. You know the soil is good for gardening when the water does not drain away too fast and does not collect on top.
Organizing the garden
After you’ve identified the best place for your garden, you need to make sure that the plants you want to grow are organized in such a way to allow them to grow healthily. Before getting to that part, though, make sure you use the best seeds your money can buy. Seed packets might be a better choice than individual plants money-wise.
Before using the seeds, divide your garden into rows. The number of rows depends on how much space you have at disposal and how many plants you want to grow. However, make sure there’s enough space between the rows. You will thus provide the plants with the required space to grow healthily.
If you place the plants too close, they will compete for water, nutrition, and sunlight. This may further result in the plants failing to develop fully. Not to mention that they may also be more prone to pests and disease.
Always read the instructions on the seed packet carefully before getting started. Learn more about the specific requirements of the vegetables and plants you want to grow as well.
Plant, harvest, and water at the right time
Timing is so important when it comes to gardening. Planting at the right time increases your chances of success. Harvesting at the right time also contributes significantly to the quality of the plants and vegetables you’ve grown. Everything in between these two moments also follows specific rules.
Read the instructions on the seed packet to learn more about the planting dates of the vegetables you’ve chosen. The nutrition, sunlight, and water the plants receive decide how they grow. While you can only tailor the sunlight they receive only by placing them in the best spot in your garden, you can influence how much water they receive more easily.
Watering the plants is not just a matter of time but also of quantity. You can tell when the plants need to be watered based on how the soil feels. If it does not hold together in your hands or it looks cracked, then it is time to water. However, make sure you use the right amount of water. Watering them too much or too little will affect their development.