Spring has arrived, and it’s time to think about taking care of your garden and watching your plants and vegetables bloom. Maybe you don’t enjoy this, and your yard may look bare, or you just like it to be simple. Or perhaps you have always wanted to start a garden and have no idea where to start. I love to tend my potted pots and watering them every day is therapeutic for me. I enjoy watching them grow and produce beautiful blooms. We have no vegetable garden, but our backyard is landscaped with beautiful flowering plants and I give credit to my husband who loves to take care of our plants. I learn so much from him and I am thankful that he enjoys it.
Make your grow-you-own dreams a reality with these 10 easy-to-follow tips.
1. Site it right.
If you are wanting to start a garden but don’t how, starting a garden is just like real estate - it's all about location. Place your garden in a part of your yard where you'll see it regularly (out of sight, out of mind definitely applies to gardening). That way, you'll be much more likely to spend time in it.
2. Follow the sun.
Misjudging sunlight is a common pitfall when you're first learning to garden or plant flowers. Pay attention to how sunlight plays through your yard before choosing a spot. Most edible plants, including many vegetables, herbs, and fruits and some flowers, need at least 6 hours of sun in order to thrive.
3. Stay close to water.
One of the best gardening tips you'll ever get is to plan your new garden near a water source. Make sure you can run a hose to your garden site, so you don't have to lug water to it each time your plants get thirsty. The best way to tell if plants need watering is to push a finger an inch down into the soil (that's about one knuckle deep). If it's dry, it's time to water. This is also the same for flowers in your pots or in your yard.
4. Start with great soil.
When starting a garden, one of the top pieces of advice is to invest in soil that is nutrient-rich and well-drained. Achieve this just-right blend by mixing 3 inches of Miracle-grow all-purpose garden soil into the top 6 to 8 inches of existing soil if you're planning to plant in the ground. If you're planting in a raised bed, use Miracle-Gro-raised bed soil, which is the perfect weight and texture for raised bed growing.
5. Consider containers.
When space is at a premium, look to containers. You can grow many plants in pots, including vegetables, herbs, flowers, fruit trees, berries, and shrubs. When gardening in containers, use a pot that's large enough for the plant it's hosting, and fill it with Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Potting mix. Not only is it specially formulated to help plants in pots thrive, but it also helps protect against over- and under-watering.
6. Choose the right plants.
It's important to select plants that match your growing conditions. This means putting sun-loving plants into a sunny spot and choosing heat-tolerant plants in warm climates. Do your homework and pick varieties that will grow well where you live and in the space you have.
7. Discover your zone.
Knowing your "hardiness zone" can help you choose the best plants. Simply put, it describes the coldest place a plant can grow. The higher the zone number, the warmer the climate. So, if a plant is "hardy to zone 4" and you garden in zone 5, that plant will survive in your yard. If, however, you're in zone 3, it's too cold to grow that particular plant.
8. Learn your frost dates.
Planting too early (or late) in the season can spell disaster for your garden and flowers. You need to know the last average spring frost date for your area, so you don't accidentally kill plants by putting them out prematurely. It's also good to know your first average fall frost date so that you get your plants harvested or moved indoors before late season cold damages them.
9. Add some mulch.
Apply a layer of mulch that's 2 to 3 inches deep around each plant. This will help reduce weeds by blocking out the sun, and reduce moisture loss through evaporation, so you have to water less.
10. Feed plants regularly.
We've already talked about the importance of starting with great soil, but that soil works best in concert with regular boosts of high-quality nutrition for your plants. In other words, amazing soil + top-notch plant food = super garden success! So, a month after planting, begin feeding your garden with plant food like Miracle Gro Water soluble all-purpose plant food. Be sure to follow label directions.
One last word of advice: Stock up on the basic tools you need to make it easier to grow. To learn more on how to take care of your garden with oils, this week on my Facebook page “Freedom-n-Joy Essentials” I’m sharing about gardening and oils. Click here to join!
Happy growing!
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