How to Create a Functional Garden at Home

If you’re ready to dig into a new hobby but don’t know where to start, you’ve come to the right place.

Gardening has a rich history, beginning thousands of years ago. Planting a garden actually goes hand in hand with the beginning of civilization. When humans first planted seeds to grow their own food, they were laying down roots (literally!) and tying themselves down to one location, putting an end to their nomadic lifestyle and their constant search for food and shelter.

These days we can get pretty much any vegetable or fruit we want from the supermarket, but buying a bag of apples doesn’t invoke the same sense of pride as seeing the fruits of your labor. Getting your hands dirty and producing something nourishing and delicious gives you a sense of purpose. Plus, it saves some money.

If you’re new to gardening it can seem a bit overwhelming. But you don’t need acres of land or a greenhouse to develop a successful garden. With the proper knowledge and tools you can grow your own garden.

Gather Some Gardening Tools

Don’t worry, you don’t need a whole shed of complicated tools and equipment. The things you’ll generally need to plant a garden are:

• A watering can and/or a hose

• Seeds or seedlings

• Mulch, soil, and compost

• A rake

• A trowel

• A shovel

• Pruning shears

• A garden fork

Other optional items are gardening gloves, a wheelbarrow, a kneeling pad, and some clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. 

Consider What You Want to Plant

Think about what you want from your garden. Do you want to grow your favorite vegetables and save some money while grocery shopping? Do you want to grow flowers to beautify your home? Do you just want to get outside and away from doom-scrolling? What your aiming to get out of your garden will influence what you will want to plant.

Also, keep in mind that plants have seasons, so make sure you’re choosing vegetables, herbs, or flowers that will grow in your climate. If you’re entering the colder months, you might want to look at Melbourne winter vegetables. If spring is coming up, you can plant a rainbow of flowers. If you want a year-long garden with lower maintenance, research perennial vegetables and flowers. If you plan to plant chives for culinary purposes, mastering the art of harvesting chives is crucial for maintaining their health and maximizing their productivity.

Introduce Pollinators Like Honey Bees

In the process of planning your garden, another crucial aspect to consider is pollinators. Pollinators like honey bees are essential for the successful pollination of many home garden plants. Certain plants will attract these honey bees and significantly improve the health and yields of your garden. Flowers such as lavender, wild lilacs, and goldenrod can be particularly attractive to honey bees.

It’s also important to bear in mind that creating a bee-friendly garden means avoiding harmful pesticides, as these can endanger the bees. So, as you draw your garden plan, think about incorporating plants that attract honey bees to establish a harmonious symbiosis between your garden and these crucial pollinators.

Figure Out Where Your Garden Will Go

The location of your garden will depend on what you’ve decided to grow. Plants need different levels of sunlight. Choose a section of your yard where your garden will get the appropriate amount of sun. If you have a place that gets at least six hours of sunlight each day, your options are pretty endless! 

If you have multiple places where a garden could grow, choose a spot that is nearest to a water source. You’ll be glad of this later when you’re carrying heavy watering cans to and fro or stretching a hose to its fullest extent to reach your plants. If you have a wormery, folks from Garden Lime suggest using worm castings as a natural fertilizer to enrich your soil with essential nutrients. Additionally, worms help improve soil aeration, making it easier for plant roots to access water and oxygen. Consider maintaining a steady supply of organic matter to keep your wormery productive and your garden thriving.

You can grow plants even if you don’t have much outdoor space. There are plants that can grow in partial sunlight or even indoors near a window. If you have a balcony or small outside space, assess how much sun it gets and how exposed it is to harsh weather. You may not be able to grow everything you want, but there are still things you can grow! Some plants are tough and can outlast the most inhospitable conditions. 

Whether your garden is big or small, you’ll need to plan it out. Draw a rough draft of your garden area and which vegetables, herbs, or flowers to plant where. Research how far apart certain plants need to be positioned to help you know how much space you have for each variety of plant. Conversely, you will also want to look into which plants may benefit from having a specific plant nearby, such as a nitrogen-fixing plant or one that provides stability. Another detail to include is how much sunlight each part of your garden will get.

The space you have for your garden will also determine what kind of planter you use. Whether you’re using planter boxes, pots, vertical planters, garden beds, or raised garden beds, make sure the soil is good and prepared properly. 

Plant Your Garden!

The preparation stage is out of the way and it’s time to get your hands dirty. Before you can plant your seeds or seedlings, your soil probably needs some TLC. If you’re serious about your garden, it may be worth it to have a soil test done. Earthworms will do a lot of the work for you. Add plenty of compost to the soil, or layer some on top and allow it to turn into humus.

Loosen the soil to allow roots to spread and increase water drainage. If this is your second time planting, make sure to rotate your crops.

Now it’s time to sow your seeds. Your seeds or seedlings most likely came with instructions about time, depth, and spacing. They’ll also have tips on watering and sunlight.

Now you’ve created a garden, but the work isn’t over. Your plants are living creatures and they need care and attendance. Maintaining your plants is a rewarding job. You’ll grow fond of these little plants as you care for them and show them, love. In return, they’ll nourish you and feed you. No wonder gardening is a timeless popular pastime! 

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