With the current global scenario, pressure on farmers due to rising gas prices and growing food shortages, there’s no better time than now to grab a shovel and begin growing your own produce. Even if you’ve never turned a hand to gardening, with a few expert tips, you can move closer toward self-sufficiency and enjoy fresh vegetables year-round. So, to help you jump start with gardening, we will explore ways on how to start and sustain a productive garden.
This post is written by our guest author Shirley Martin of tidylifetoday.com
Gardening Layout
Since, the location and layout of your garden are crucial to the cultivation of healthy, ripe produce. You’ll want to plan out your patch before you put spade to soil.
- Pick the sunniest spot in the yard to favor vegetables (which typically need 6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day).
- Try to limit your plot size to a maximum of 10’x10’ (feet). A smaller garden will prove more manageable.
- Choose a space that is shielded from strong winds. Strong winds can knock over, disrupt plant growth or keep pollinators from doing their job!
Gardening Methods to start and sustain a productive garden
As important as the location of your plot are, so are the methods on how you tend it. Sharpen up your tools and your mind with these resources.
- There are seven planting methods, including seed propagation, cutting, layering, division, grafting, budding, and tissue culture technique. Each offers its own unique uses and benefits. So it pays to experiment a little at the beginning and see what works out the best for your garden conditions and environment.
- Your irrigation methods may differ depending on soil, crop type, water availability, and planting setup.
- If you want to go an extra step towards protecting the environment you can try some water-saving techniques.
Gardening Materials
Finding and using the right materials, from soil to fertilizer, is paramount for a long-lasting, fruitful garden patch. Here are some for your consideration.
- Soil types, ranging from loamy to peaty, all contain differing, unique benefits.
- Look for fertilizer by doing an online search for “fertilizer company near me.” This way, you can read reviews to ensure the business you’re using is on the up and up.
- There is an art to choosing the right seeds and it’s worth learning about the different labels/brands. Check out my older post on why to save heirloom seeds.
- Remember to track and keep receipts whenever you make changes to the garden. Because, this can add to your home’s appraisal value.
It can feel a little daunting when first starting out with gardening but, after the shovel’s first gone in, but you’re sure to be hooked on a new, healthier way of life.
I hope these tips on how to start and sustain a productive garden is useful to you to motivate you to start planting. Check out my earlier post on Tips to start a garden from scratch for beginners.
Thank you for taking the time to read and if you have more tips drop me a line in the comments below.
Photo Credits: Chitra @ Vitalfairliving.com
