Tips For The Perfect Garden

The Right Site

Starting your own garden is just like real estate: it’s all about the location. Placing your garden in a noticeable part of your yard makes you more likely to spend time in it.

Go Where the Sun Does

Pay attention to the sunlight playing through your yard before choosing a spot for your garden. Most edible plants need 6 hours of sun at least in order to thrive.

Close to Water

One of the best gardening tips is to plan a new garden near a water source. Make sure you can run a hose to your garden to avoid lugging water to it every day. The best way to know if plants need watering is to push a finger an inch into the soil and if it’s dry, it’s time to water.

Start With Good Soil

You can achieve nutrient-rich soil by mixing all-purpose garden soil into the top 6 to 8 inches of existing soil if planting in the ground. If you’re planting in a raised bed, use the appropriate soil for raised bed growing.

Consider Your Containers

You can grow a lot of veggies, herbs, and fruits in pots. When gardening in containers, use a pot that’s large enough for the plant it’s hosting, along with specially formulated soil to help plants in pots thrive.

Choose the Right Plants

Always select plants that match your particular growing conditions. This means choosing heat-tolerant plants for warm climates, putting sun-loving plants in sunny spots, and giving sprawling vines elbow room or a trellis to climb. 

Find Your Zone

Hardiness zones describe the coldest place a plant can grow; the higher the zone number, the warmer the climate. Choose plants that will survive in your yard.

Learn Frost Dates

You need to know your area’s last spring frost date to avoid accidentally killing plants. It’s also good to know your first fall frost date so that you get your plants harvested or moved indoors before the cold damages them. 

Add Some Mulch

Apply a 2 to 3-inch deep layer of mulch around each plant. which will help reduce weeds by blocking out the sun, and reducing moisture loss through evaporation, cutting down watering requirements. 

Feed Your Plants Regularly

Good soil works best with regular boosts of high-quality nutrition for your plants. A month after planting, begin feeding your garden with good quality plant food.