Home gardening is experiencing a resurgence with today’s back-to-the-earth movement. Not only is gardening great for the earth, it’s great for the soul. Caring for plants, whether they’re vegetables or flowers, is a productive and relaxing hobby. Whether you’re building out a full-sized, in-ground garden or looking to establish a patio pot garden, here are 5 Basics for New Gardeners to keep in mind as you begin to plan your garden.
Start Planning Early
It’s never too early to start thinking about your garden. Even if it’s still winter, you can decide what plants you eventually want to include. This also gives you time to plan any landscaping you want to do to prepare your garden, and make a shopping list of what you’ll need for the season. Seeds begin arriving in garden centers and garden departments in big-box stores right around Valentine’s Day, early- to mid-February. Take a trip to the center or store and peruse the seeds to get an idea of what’s available in your area, and what you might like to plant. Seed packages are the same whether you’re looking at vegetables or flowers. Pay close attention to:
- Sun requirements
- Germination days – how long to sprout
- Maturity days – how long before you have a mature, producing plant
- How, and how deep, to plant seeds
- Whether you can sow directly into your garden, or need to sprout in a container first.
You may find that some of your selections you’ll sow directly into the dirt, while others you may need to sow into a sprouting container. I personally have neither the patience to wait for plants to sprout, nor the space to be sprouting them, so I buy my plants from a garden centers, ready for planting.
Use Your Space Efficiently
While gardening in long rows is the traditional method, it’s really only more effective in the case of larger garden spaces. I find the best use of the space I have is to plan out two- to four-foot squares in my in-ground bed. I use garden twine and either pieces of sticks I find laying in my yard, or garden stakes, to plot out my spaces. Alternatively, raised beds whether slightly above ground (like this) or actually up on legs (like this), can help you maximize your space if space is tight. The key is to be sure to allow space between rows when you’re plotting your space. You not only need that for air circulation around the plants, but if you’re in-ground you’ll need room to walk between your plants!
As you’re plotting your space, pay close attention to plant spacing requirements. Don’t forget that those little sprouts are going to grow into big, healthy plants! Your plants need room to grow, or they’ll be stunted and not produce. Again, this holds true for both vegetables and flowers.
If your plan is to start off with some patio pot gardens, you’ll need to pay attention to depth requirements for the plants you want. Tomatoes, herbs, potatoes, bush cucumbers and bush beans, lettuces, and of course flowers, all grow great in pots. If you have the patio space, invest in large “half-barrel” pots. They come in a variety of sizes. Just be sure there are drainage holes in the bottom! Because these pots tend to get heavy, place them on wheeled pot caddies so you can move them around to capture more sun, if necessary.
Lighten the Load
You can lighten the load of a large pot by placing flattened plastic milk cartons, soda cans, etc. to fill up 1/4 to 1/2 of the pot to take up space. Then fill the rest of the pot with a good water-retention potting soil. Do NOT use topsoil in pots as it tends to hold way too much water, and be too dense of a soil for pot gardening.
Invest in the Right Tools
Having the right tool for every garden task will save you time when it comes to preparing, planting, and maintaining your garden. If you’re lucky enough to have a sprinkler system, you’ll want to pay close attention to where, when and how much water it puts onto your garden. You don’t want to drown your plants! I use a handy, expanding garden hose, sprinkler attachment and nozzle attachment. I have a couple reasons for these specific products I’ve linked. A rubber garden hose can be really heavy, especially if you need a long one to get from your water spigot to your garden. And, too often I’ve crushed plants by giving the hose a tug. As for the sprinkler attachment, I find I’m better able to water specific areas without over-watering others, or wasting water on areas that don’t need water (like a patio!). This particular model is really good for smaller spaces, too. Having some sort of water source saves a lot of watering time over the season – you don’t need to keep filling up watering cans (I’ve done that…not fun!). Head on over to 10 Tools for Every Gardener for more suggested items. Remember – if you’re new, you don’t need to invest in everything all at once. The 10 Must-Haves are in priority order, whether your plot or patio pot gardening!
Keep Track of Everything
One of the most important things you can do when building and maintaining a garden is to keep a record of your plants. This method is a useful tool for keeping a record of the location of your plants and when you planted them. It also provides a place to jot down helpful tips that you’ve learned along the way, as well as any mistakes that might occur. This will ensure that you don’t make the same mistakes in the future.
When I first started gardening, I bought an inexpensive notebook to jot plans, plant lists, shopping lists, etc. When I bought plants, I taped the plant stakes right into the notebook. I’ve maintained that notebook for over 20 years, specifically for my perennial flowers and shrubs. That way, I know what’s where and when it needs to be pruned. This information is especially important here in Wisconsin when you just never know what’s going to survive the winter!
Start Out Small
This is the one time I will not say, “go big or go home”! Gardening is exciting, and the thought of eating your own vegetables or arranging your own flower bouquets is truly a thrill. But don’t forget that gardening is not “plant it and forget it.” All gardens, regardless of size or what they’re growing, take work to maintain. And, not everything you plant is going to work in your garden. For me, as much as I love fresh green beans they just won’t grow in my soil. Neither will radishes. But, potatoes, tomatoes, herbs, squashes, and cucumbers grow like the wind! I can grow just about any type of perennial flower appropriate for my zone 4 weather. But I battle rabbits, deer and chipmunks. They love my flower buffet! Starting small will help you learn as you go, and not make a huge investment that risks going to waste.
Gardening is a terrific activity to do with children and grandchildren. Have them help you by planting seeds in an egg carton. Then, teach them how to water and tend their little sprouts. Such a great learning opportunity. Paper egg cartons are not only great to recycle, but you simply cut the bottom off and put the egg well with its plant right into the ground. The paper carton becomes beautiful compost for your garden! There’s so much excitement when a child can learn where their food comes from, and then pick it! And oh…the thrill of the hunt for the perfectly ripe berry or tomato! Why not take the plunge and get started today?
