Gardening is so rewarding. When you plant, raise, and harvest fruits and vegetables that you grew yourself, they always taste a bit better than any you might buy from a store.
If you have a yard, it’s both enjoyable and wise to use a portion of it for gardening. Your garden can be as small or as large as you like. You can grow a wide variety of tasty, natural foods, or just one or two old favorites. No matter what you choose to produce, watching your plants grow and develop will be a wonderful experience the whole family will enjoy.
Gardens are fun, but they can be a lot of work, too. After spending many months caring for your plants, you’ll want to do what you can to get a lot out of them. A big yield is exciting for all.
Fortunately, over the past seven to ten thousand years of agriculture, mankind has learned a lot about growing things successfully. All of that knowledge can now be yours. Here are some great tips for getting the most out of your garden. Whether it’s your first or your fiftieth, this year’s garden will be your best yet.
Pick a Good Spot for Your Garden
The location of your garden is one of the most important decisions you will make. If you’re just starting a garden, you’ll want to choose a wide-open, flat space that gets plenty of sunshine.
The flatness of the space will allow it to be watered evenly, but there’s nothing more important than full sun. Some plants can survive in shade, but few fruits and vegetables will thrive there. Stay away from trees if you can.
Make sure the soil is loose and aerated too.
Test Your Soil
Some soil is great for gardening just as it is, but most places need a bit of adjustment. In order to discover what you need to add for the best results, it’s smart to get your soil tested by a professional.
Many state universities offer this service for a fee; your local garden center can also point you in the right direction. Your results will tell you a lot about things like the organic matter in your soil, the pH, minerals, and texture. Then you can make positive changes from there.
Plant Wisely
What you choose to plant can make all the difference when it comes to the success and productivity of your garden.
If you have limited space, look for compact varieties of plants you’d like to grow. For example, compact tomato plants still produce a large number of tomatoes over the course of any growing season.
Plant varieties with shorter growing times, and practice succession planting. The back of any packet of seeds or the label on any store-bought starter will tell you how many days until harvest. If you choose plants that mature in around two months, you’ll have plenty of time to harvest and then grow something else with a short growing season in the same spot afterward.
You also might try companion planting. Some plants grow well together. Other plants work against one another. When you know which is which, you can use this knowledge to you and your garden’s benefit.
Happy Gardening
No matter what happens, you’ll have fun with your garden. It may not be perfect every time, but every season is a new start and a new learning experience. Try the above tips and get creative. You’ll be amazed at how much you and your family can get from a garden project, fruits, vegetables, and otherwise. Good luck!
If you want assistance with the design of a new garden on your property, we’re here to help. Give us a call today.
