Starting a backyard garden might seem like an overwhelming project. That’s because you are probably picturing one of the gardens from Architecture and design magazines. Those gardens take months of planning and work. If you want a backyard garden like this, this essential guide will help you start with a good foundation.
How to Start Your Backyard Garden
The trick is to start small and scale your way to your backyard garden. Here’s how you can begin your backyard garden:
Plan Your Plants
Start with the plants you want in your garden. A good idea is to plant plants that will be useful to you. Imagine an everlasting supply of organic vegetables and fruits right in your background. You should also keep in mind the overall temperature and climate of your city. Is it hot most year round or cold? Decide your plants keeping these conditions in mind.
You could visit your local nursery or talk to a gardener to discuss what plants will fare well in your locality. Go for local seeds and plants. Another option to consider while planting is whether you want to grow your plants from seeds or work on building up small plants. Growing plants from seeds might not be a good idea if this is your first time.
If you opt to grow already grown plants in your garden, choose them carefully. Buy plants with green leaves. Look for weeds or insects in the plants. These can destroy your entire garden, if not removed in time. You can also ask the people at the nursery on pointers to keep the plant healthy and fresh. Ask them advice on watering the plant, placement and best conditions.
I also suggest starting with easy vegetables and fruits like snow peas and herbs initially to grow your confidence.
Do a Sunlight audit
We all know plants need sunlight to grow and thrive. Most plants need at least 6 hours of sun. It’s through the sun that they make their food.
Start by accessing your garden. Which parts get the most sunlight? Mark this area for your plants. The rest you can allocate to growing grass, sitting space or even a small water bed.
Plan the Spaces
Once you have your plant space finalized, the next thing you should be doing is planning what you will be doing in the rest of the spaces. Figure out what you need from your garden. Is it just the produce or are you looking for a place to sit and relax with a book? Your space should be planned keeping in mind your requirements. Look for garden design inspiration in architecture magazines or blogs.
If you are planning on creating a garden that will get your neighbor’s attention, it will require money. You could also apply for a home improvement loan with LoanDepot.
Prepare Your Soil
Time to get to business. Start by preparing your soil. If you are a beginner, get a gardener to help you out to prepare the soil. Your soil requires compost and nutrients for the plant to grow. Here you also need to decide whether you will grow organically or buy fertilizers to help you out. Your gardener will also remove the weeds and unnecessary grass.
While preparing your soil, you should also figure out your plant beds. Many people go for raised beds. These are easier to maintain and allow for good water movement.
After Care
Any garden, whether planted in the garden or the balcony, requires constant attention. Some things to keep in mind are:
- Watering: A plant requires just the right amount of water to grow. Too much water can damage the roots, while too little will not give the plants enough nutrients from the soil. Each plant and climate requires a different amount of watering. Initially, your plant will require more water to grow from seed to plant. Later watering two to three times might be enough. Water around the soil and not the leaves. Get a water spray.
- Weeds and Insects: Weeds and insects can be a big nuisance. For a good maintenance, check for weeds and insects frequently. Ask a gardener to help you out if the problem gets out of control.
- Plant Placement: Some plants don’t thrive well with other plants. If you find that one of your plants isn’t doing well, you should consider moving the plant location if the rest of the conditions are ideal.
- Scale up. Once your initial plants are thriving, use that confidence to get the rest of the garden growing. Add more plants. Get bigger pots or beds for plants that seem to be growing big.
Starting and building a garden can be a very positive and enriching experience. If you have kids, it can be a great learning opportunity for them too.