True life is in the magic of a garden; its growing flowers, plants and trees and the wildlife attracted to them. It is so exciting to have your own space to plant and cultivate these wonderful forms of life.
As a new gardener, once you have experienced the satisfaction of watching something blossom to its full potential in an environment you have provided you will be hooked! Gardening provides a wonderful sense of reward and pride.
Whether you are passionate about beautiful flowers or if your interest is in growing herbs or vegetables for the table, spending time with your plants will give you great pleasure.
Before you start, here are a few tips for a new gardener to help you on your way:
Plan your garden. Test the soil type; the answer to many of your questions lies in the soil. Loamy soil normally provides the best conditions for plant growth. Sandy or clay soil is less rewarding, but you buy your plants accordingly, although your choices are more limited. The pH balance of your soil is important for optimum results. You can buy a simple pH testing kit at just about any garden center. If you have difficulty finding a pH kit, just send a soil sample to a nearby university or agricultural center for testing. They will happily test it for you. Because all plants are living things, they thrive best in the right soil.
Now, measure out your garden. Take pencil and paper and sketch more or less how you want to lay out your garden. Take shade into account as sunlight is important for the growth of most garden plants. Some of your plants, especially vegetables, may require more sunlight than others to flourish, so note where there are trees, walls or buildings that cast shadow.
You probably want to place your kitchen garden close to your back door but not too close so as to allow the vegetables to absorb plenty sunlight. Place the tall growing plants so they do not overshadow shorter plants, such as peas or beans. All your plants will thrive better if they get their share of sunlight.
The best time to begin preparing next year's garden is in the fall. Turn the soil over and leave it like that through the winter for the frost to break the clods. Rake through and remove stones for spring planting.
Depending on your climate and what you wish to grow, the best time for a new gardener to start planting in a new low maintenance garden may be in late winter, just before spring arrives. Seed packets will give you information on when best to plant. If you prefer to buy saplings from a nursery, select small ones that are fresh and green and are about to bud.
Seedlings may require 'hardening' for a little while before being transplanted into the soil. You do this by gradually exposing them to outdoor weather conditions. Do this over the course of a couple of weeks by placing them outside, in a sheltered area, for a few hours every day. As they adjust to the open air (as opposed to the controlled environment they were used to in the nursery) they will strengthen. Increase their exposure daily until they appear ready for transplanting.
Mike Ward here: Did you find this article useful? You'll find a lot more information about planning and creating a new garden and how to maintain it here - http://GardenMaintenance.WardInfoNet.com
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