Many people find joy in gardening because it is a relaxing hobby. Learn more reasons why you have to start your own garden today on this site here. Aside from the fruits and vegetables that harvest each season, having a garden gives you a sense of personal satisfaction. Read this blog post for gardening advice to harvesting fresh produce regularly.
In the current circumstances people spend more time at home. So having your own vegetable patch is something to seriously consider. If you are bored and think that you have spent too much time inside your home, start thinking of design options for your garden.
For people who have gardening woes, it’s never too late to try again. Maybe you didn’t know that mint and zucchinis will take over your garden. You will feel quite accomplished if you eat tomatoes from your own potted plants. Here is some advice that you will find helpful.
What to Do when Gardening
1. Start Small but not too Little
The area of your garden will depend on the spare time that you’re willing to invest in it. Experts estimate that it will take you about 2 minutes per square foot each week to maintain your garden.
This means that if you have a 25 sq. ft. garden, you’ll need over 50 minutes to water the plants, prune, and harvest your fresh produce every day. Single packets of seeds can cover an area of 25 sq. ft.
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The definition of small will depend on your overall experience and your hobbies. If your vegetable patch is too small, you may get disinterested in the process because the plants are not growing fast enough. A minimum of 15 sq. ft. is enough for most homeowners. Especially those who are just starting out.
The advice of horticulturists? For beginners who are trying everything by themselves, it’s best to gather deep pots and start with a few squash and cucumber seeds. Follow the directions on the packets, and it doesn’t get easier than that.
2. Plant where the Sun is Shining
For edibles, the first rule that you need to follow is to plant where the sun is. Generally, you can grow edible food in areas facing the southeast, southwest, and southern directions. Pay attention to where the sun rises every day and ensure that you put your edibles where they get plenty of sunlight.
3. Focus on the Leafy Produce
Most gardening experts recommend that you focus on the leaves and not the fruits. You can get your gardening guide in the link provided and learn things that you need to focus on for a more bountiful harvest. If you decide to have plenty of edibles, the leaves are the best place to start.
The edibles have basic life cycles. They start their lives with a single seed. Then the roots grow, followed by the stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits if they make them. Then the seedling creation starts the process once again.
If you want to see quicker results, it’s best to focus on plants with plenty of leaves like herbs, cabbages, and lettuces. If you compare the race to their fruit counterparts, the ones with the leaves will have quicker yields because the fruits will appear much later on in a plant’s life cycle.
As long as you set everything right, you can get lots of green leafy vegetables in a single harvest regardless if your space is small. A home-grown salad is also healthier than the ones that you are purchasing in supermarkets, and the veggies can be easily harvested on a 15-square foot plot.
4. Know your Area Well
There are specific maps that can be found in the USDA that will tell you which plants are best suited to which state or kind of land. You can also get tips from online almanacs on when to plant certain fruits and vegetables in your area. Use tools online that will let you put in your zip codes so that you can see which fruits will fare better at a particular time of the year.
Why does knowing your area or zone matter? Knowing your state will prevent you from planting tomatoes in the middle of summer in Arizona. Know more about summer vegetables here: https://homeguides.sfgate.com/list-summer-vegetables-summer-garden-40933.html. You won’t wonder why some of your veggies are suffering dehydration while in other parts of the country, people are making pico de gallo dishes that are rich in salsa.
Another helpful thing to do is to head to your local nursery. The smaller ones will start planting the herbs and leafy veggies that are appropriate for the season to come. Most farmers in greenhouses will be producing the ones that are going on full-priced in markets and those that are prominently displayed at the front of many grocer’s shops. Most often, those that have discounted labels are cheaper because they are nearing their prime, and their harvests were not as good as those who are in season.
