Eating vine-ripened tomatoes or freshly picked vegetables is a life altering experience. Most people who have a garden would like to know how they can start a home garden. If you are such a person, you will need to follow some simple steps which will help you start your home garden. Successful gardeners are those who know how, when and what to plant. The first thing you should have in mind is growing crops that you like eating. Priority should be given to vegetables like young spinach, peas, sweet corn, tomatoes and beans, as they possess incredible flavor when they are fresh from the garden.
Ground preparation is the next step once you have decided the vegetables you want to plant. Remember, it would be prudent to know the type of weather that is best for your vegetables and the season they are normally panted. Turn and break the soil while adding compost and other organic materials. Calculate the amount of garden space available and plant accordingly. For example, tomatoes need to have a space of 60cm apart while crops like lettuce are often grown without such conditions. Growing requirements are normally provided on nursery tags, catalogs and seed packets. In the event your growing space is small, take into consideration crops that will effectively fit in the space.
Raised bed of lettuce, tomatoes, 6 different types of basil, marigolds, zinnias, garlic chives, zucchini. An American flag and a solar-powered light are also in the garden. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Schedule your planting around the two major seasons which vary by region. For example, cool season crops include turnips, spinach, beets, radishes, broccoli, potatoes, lettuce, peas, cauliflower, carrots and cabbage. Warms season crops include tomatoes, beans, squash, corn, pumpkins, peppers, melons, eggplant and cucumbers. Sowing seeds in the ground is advisable for crops like squash, corn, pumpkins, melons, beets, lettuce, peas, and carrots as they perform better that way. For crops like cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant, it would be advisable to begin with seedlings.
The best time to buy seedlings by mail order or at nurseries is in the beginning of the year since the best selection is at this time. Make sure you look at the packets and get those which are written as having been packed for that year. If you want a wider selection of seeds, it is advisable to buy from mail order seed companies or online. There are many long established companies that can offer you the widest seed selection at competitive prices. Additionally, such companies are also capable of providing you with tips and guidelines that can help you to start your home garden.
Be sure you start shopping for seedlings only when your have prepared your soil and have everything organized for planting. Do not let the seeds stay for longer than several days and you should keep them moist. Make sure you get seedlings that are healthy and vigorous. Good seedlings should be stocky and stand up straight. Avoid seedlings that are lanky and have some yellow color on their leaves. When you put all these tips into consideration, you should be able to successfully start your home garden. Once you have started, you will get to learn and experience the ‘do’s and don’ts’ of gardening with time.
