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Starting a garden is one of the most rewarding and fun things to do. Start a vegetable garden or plant florals (or both!), and everyone can benefit from getting their hands a little dirty. But if you're new to gardening, it can be difficult to know where to start. This must not discourage you at all. When you break your project down into manageable steps, you can ease into gardening at your own pace. And soon you'll see the rewards of your efforts with beautiful views, delicious flavors, and colorful blooms. Here are a few garden starter steps to put you on the right track.
1. Consider what to plant
Do you want to plant a herb garden? A vegetable garden? Or perhaps you're just looking to convert a small section of your space into an ornamental garden? If you choose vegetable or herbs, plant ones that your family will enjoy or be willing to try or ones that you can easily preserve.
If you want ornamentals for their flair, color, and fragrance, decide whether you want annuals that bloom most of the summer but need to be replanted each spring or perennials that have a shorter bloom time but return year after year. Each one, or even a combination, makes a stunning garden but will have different maintenance requirements.
Pro tip: Start small and work your way to the top.
2. Choose the right spot for your garden
Almost all herbs, vegetables and many types of flowering plants need at least 5-8 hours of ample sunlight each day. So you need to observe your yard throughout the day to figure out which spots receive full sun versus partial or full shade. Don't worry if your yard is mostly shady: You won't be able to grow peppers in shade, but many other plants will do just fine. Check plant tags or ask the staff at your local garden center to help you understand how much sunlight your plants of choice need. You can also opt for container gardening if you have limited space.
3. Prepare your planting space
Plan how you want to setup your garden. There are 3 main options. You can practice raised bed gardening, container gardening or traditional gardening. Traditional garden is fairly easy to begin. Till a small potion of your land, get rid of weeds and sod in the area you plan to plant. If you want quick results—for example, if it's already spring and you want veggies this summer—cut it out. Slice under the sod with a spade. Cut the sod into sections to make it easier to remove, then put it on your compost pile to decompose. For a longer term project, it's easier to use the lasagna gardening method: Cover your future garden with cardboard; double that amount if your lawn is Bermuda grass or St. Augustine grass. Spread a thick layer of compost (or combination of potting soil and topsoil) on the cardboard and wait. It'll take about five months for the compost and cardboard to decompose. But if you start in the fall, by spring you'll have a bed ready to plant with no grass or weeds and plenty of rich soil.
Raised bed gardening has a lot of great benefits but you need to purchase wood, construct the raised beds and fill them up with soil. Even though they are a great way to go don't get discouraged and pump up a lot of money into construction. It is very easy to start with the traditional way. If you have the money and time to setup raised beds then go for that. It has enormous benefits in the long term.
4. Buy your Seeds and Seedlings
Some people ponder over catalogs for months, others head to the garden center and buy what wows them. Either method works as long as you choose plants adapted to your climate, soil, and sunlight. You can even surf the Internet for plants and seeds to purchase.
Kantanka farms is more than happy to help you acquire all the necessary planting materials you need to start a successful garden. We have a large collection of seeds and seedlings that you can easily source from our online store.
5. Start Planting
Some plants, such as radish and kale, tolerate cold, so you can plant them in autum or late winter. Tomatoes, peppers and most annual flowers, on the other hand, prefer warm temperatures, so don't plant them until the danger of frost has passed in your area. Midspring and midautumn are good times to plant perennials.
Many vegetables can sown directly in the garden. Be sure to read the seed packet for information about planting time, depth, and spacing. If you're an adventurous beginner, get a head start on the growing season by nursing seeds indoors few weeks before the last frost date. There are trays specifically designed for seedlings and seed-starting soil mixes available at garden centers. Follow seed packet instructions and place the containers on a sunny windowsill or under artificial light if you don't have window space. Be sure to keep the seeds and seedlings moist but not wet, or they may rot.
6. Water at the Right Time
Never allow your seedlings to dry out. Water them daily. Ease off as the plants get larger. Transplants also need frequent watering (every other day or so) until their roots become established. After that, how often you need to water depends on your soil, humidity, and rainfall, though once a week is a good place to start. Clay soil dries out more slowly than sandy soil, so you won't need to water it as often. Sunny, windy conditions dry out soil more quickly than cool, cloudy weather. Still not sure? Feel the soil 3-4 inches below the surface. If it feels dry, it's time to water. Water slowly and deeply, so the water soaks in instead of running off. To minimize evaporation, water in the early morning or evenings
7. Protect your garden and plants
To help keep unwanted weeds out and moisture in, cover the soil with a couple of inches of mulch. You won't have to water as often, and by preventing sunlight from hitting the soil, you'll prevent weed seeds from germinating.
It is also very important to protect your plants from pests and insects to enable them grow well and reap bountifully. If 'something' is not eating your plants then your garden is not part of the eco system. We recommend greengro Gro-safe pesticide which is 100% organic and very effective in dealing with general pest issues.
8. Maintain Your Garden Regularly
Last but not least, it is very important for you to maintain your garden and keep up with the good work. As your garden begins to grow, help it reach its full potential by keeping up with garden chores. Water the plants before they wilt. Pull weeds before they go to seed. Get rid of dead, dying, and diseased vegetation. Support tall plants, such as tomatoes, with a trellis or a stake. Also, harvest vegetables as soon as they're ready. And most importantly, learn new recipes🫰🏿
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