How to Start a Backyard Garden Determine Your Climate Zone. Decide if you want to grow from seed or transplant seedlings. Plant your seeds or seedlings carefully. Like all plants, vegetables need the sun to start photosynthesis.
Vegetables that grow faster need full sun Vegetables that grow faster need full sun at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight a day, unobstructed by trees, shrubs, or fences. This is why you won't have much success if you plant sun-loving vegetables in shady spaces. If your garden offers partial shade, plant vegetables and herbs that tolerate those conditions, such as lettuce, kale, chard, spinach, scallions, cilantro, parsley, and thyme. Tubers, such as carrots, radishes and beets, can also work if the site receives at least 4 hours of direct sunlight a day.
Or if you have a sunny patio, switch to potted gardening. That way, you can place sun-loving vegetables and herbs, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, basil, dill, and rosemary, where they do well. Place plants in a single row in rows at least 18 inches apart so you can easily walk between them. This approach makes more sense for large orchards because rows facilitate the use of mechanical equipment, such as cultivators, to combat weeds.
The downside is that the space reserved for trails reduces the amount of vegetables that can be planted. Increase the productivity of your garden with intensive cultivation, which means you can separate two or three plants together in a bed approximately 4 feet wide (also known as a wide row). Seeds are sown or transplants are placed so that their leaves are barely touched when they mature. This approach, which uses almost every square inch of prepared soil, works well for most types of vegetables, excluding those that get tangled, such as cucumbers.
The disadvantage of this method is that you have to weed by hand because the plants grow very close to each other. Either way, work the soil only when it's moist enough to form a loose ball in your fist, but dry enough to fall apart when you drop it. Digging when the soil is too dry is a harder job and you can damage the soil structure if it is too wet. Use a shovel or fork to gently turn the top 6 to 8 inches of soil, mixing the organic matter from Step 4 at the same time.
Walking on prepared beds compacts the floor, so place plywood boards temporarily to distribute your weight evenly. Seedlings should never be allowed to dry out, so water daily. Regulate as plants grow. Transplants also need frequent watering (approximately every other day) until their roots are established.
After that, how often you need to water depends on soil, humidity and rainfall, although once a week is a good starting point. Clay soil dries out more slowly than sand, so it doesn't need to be watered as often. Sunny and windy conditions dry the soil more quickly than cold, cloudy weather. Still not sure? Feel the earth 3-4 inches below the surface.
If it feels dry, it's time to water it. Water slowly and deeply so that the water seeps in instead of running off. To minimize evaporation, water early in the morning. Realize your dreams of growing up with these 10 easy to follow tips.
Misjudging sunlight is a common mistake when learning to garden for the first time. Pay attention to how sunlight penetrates your garden before choosing a location for your garden. Most edible plants, including many vegetables, herbs and fruits, need at least 6 hours of sun to thrive. Knowing your hardiness zone can help you choose the best plants.
In a nutshell, it describes the coldest place where a plant can grow. The higher the zone number, the warmer the climate. So, if a plant is resistant to zone 4 and you cultivate in zone 5, that plant will survive in your garden. However, if you're in zone 3, it's too cold to grow that particular plant.
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