A well-maintained home garden can breathe new life into any yard. However, because of the commitment gardening entails, many homeowners believe they don’t have the time to pursue it. While it’s true that this hobby will require you to sacrifice a small amount of personal time, gardening can help reduce stress, make you feel centered and enhance your home’s outdoor aesthetic. In other words, the rewards will prove well worth your efforts. Novice gardeners feeling confused or intimidated by the perceived barrier of entry are sure to benefit from the following tips.
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| Gardeners |
Consider How Much Time You Have to Spare
For best results, the size and scope of your garden should be proportional to the amount of time you’re able to dedicate to this hobby. If you can only dedicate a few hours a week to maintaining your home garden, it’s best to avoid buying copious amounts of new plants. Not only are many of these plants likely to die of neglect, the experience may also sour you on the idea of gardening in the future. Taking on more plants than you have time to maintain can overwhelm novice gardeners and prompt them to write the hobby off as too challenging.
Newer gardeners should also stick with plants that are easy to care for and don’t require a considerable amount of attention. Starting off with plants that are difficult to maintain can discourage novice gardeners and leave them with the impression that all plants are this hard to keep alive. Before purchasing your first plants, speak to an expert at a local gardening center to ascertain the best plants for beginners. A little bit of expert advice can go a long way in saving gardeners time and money.
Place Your Garden Near a Water Source
When it comes to maintaining a home garden, proper watering is one of the most important things you’ll need to tend to. With this in mind, make sure your garden is located in close proximity to a water source. In most cases, this means planting in areas that can easily be reached with a hose. If you have to fill up a jug or watering can every time your plants need to be fed, it’s easy to succumb to laziness and put feeding on the backburner. On the flipside, taking this grunt work out of the equation can make the feeding process more convenient and less time-consuming. Furthermore, plant your garden in an area that can easily be viewed from inside your home. This will enable you to keep an eye on your plants at all times, ensuring that they’re never forgotten.
Take Your Climate Into Account
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| Gardening Plans |
Before setting your gardening plans into motion, you’ll need to take the local climate into consideration. For example, gardening in an area with year-round warm temperatures is a very different experience than gardening in an area that’s prone to frigid winters. Fortunately, ascertaining which plants are best suited to your respective climate is a simple undertaking. Not only can resident garden center experts provide you with solid recommendations, there are abundant online resources for novice gardeners who are curious about the same thing. Additionally, take care to avoid planting too early or too late in the season as this can mean certain doom for your garden.
Select the Right Soil
As any seasoned lawn care service can attest, good soil is crucial to the health of a garden. The ideal soil varies by climate and plant type, but as a general rule of thumb, you should limit your options to soils that are well-drained and rich in nutrients. Even though a garden’s livelihood depends largely on your individual efforts, the soil does a substantial portion of the work. With this in mind, make sure to research the best soils for the plants you wish to purchase before heading to the garden center.
Although it requires consistent dedication and follow-through, home gardening can be a deeply rewarding hobby. In addition to sprucing up your yard, gardening can provide you with a relaxing and cathartic way to spend your free time. Unfortunately, because of the learning curve and an aversion to sacrificing leisure time, many people are hesitant to try their hand at gardening. While certain aspects of this hobby can prove somewhat challenging, arming yourself with the right knowledge can make home gardening considerably more accessible.
January 8, 2019
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