Tips for First Time Gardeners Planting a Garden

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Tips for First Time Gardeners Planting a Garden

Having a successful garden requires more time and knowledge than you might think, so give the matter a little thought before you plunge into gardening. To begin with, vegetable gardens require at least 8 hours of solid sunlight if they are going to grow and produce well. Instead of purchasing lots of starts from the nursery as you start a garden, select a few of the hardiest starts. Gardening is a trial and error experience, so it is best to find out how proficient you are before you invest a great deal of money into the project. You can learn from successes as well as mistakes, then apply those skills for next year and gradually branch out and be successful with a greater number of plant types.

One more thing gardeners need to know is the composition of your soil. You really ought to be certain that you locate vegetables or herbs suited to your particular mix of soil and its composition. And one person's soil may be different from their neighbors, so you should test your soil and then add fertilizer and other nutrients to it. Soil testing kits are readily available at your nursery or garden center and will easily help you determine the particular type of soil you may have. Then you will know just what your soil may be lacking to make it as fertile as possible.

Now for beginners it’s easiest to begin with plants, because they are more fool proof than seeds. Seeds are more temperamental and require more care than plants, but they are cheaper. You should consider your timing - is it early or late in the season to plant the things you want? It is wise to keep in mind the growing season needed for your desired produce - how long do they need to mature, bloom and ripen? An actual plant may be your best option.

Before planting your garden, consider your water source. Many first time gardeners don’t know how often gardens need to be watered. Let's just put it this way, the farther your garden is from a water source, the longer you will spend on the daily chore of watering. Yet another crucial thing to bear in mind is that each particular seedling has varying wants in order to prosper. Some need more sun, some should be planted further down in the ground, and some must more space to grow than others so make certain to learn each plant's requirements.

Gardening is like anything else - it takes some practice runs to get it right and become good at it. It isn’t a hobby you can ignore. If you really want results, be sure you can invest the time to water and weed it once you start it. Be positive that you really would like a garden because it will be quite some time before it yields the desired produce. Your patience will be rewarded if you are willing to invest some time to care for your garden along the way.

About the Author
Diane Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Utah. She likes to write about the news, politics, Online Schools, and the college experience.

My advice, go for it! Plant that garden. It is fun and pretty easy. You may also enjoy my gardening with kids post or Autumn Gardening Tips