Ah, the great outdoors! Spring is in the air, the greenery is blooming everywhere. With a song in our hearts, it’s easy to embark on any new adventure! Having your very own back garden is a piece of cake. One that you can make with the ingredients you grew. With a bit of elbow grease, sprinkled with determination and some practical know-how, you will be off and growing organic, homemade and delicious vegetables in no time. There is no time like today so let’s get started!
1. Easy plants for an easy start
People usually get discouraged from making their garden because they think there is a lot of work involved. Should you pick some exotic, rare and complicated plants, then yes, but you can always go with the tried and tested option. Onions, garlic, carrots, sweet potato, lettuce, cabbage and beans. Voila, you have yourself a garden that can supply you with the essentials. Treat this as your first stepping stone towards a much greater goal. All beginnings are humble and, by using these low maintenance, resilient and easy to grow plants, you can continue onwards.
2. Fertiliser
Moving the lawn, trimming your hedge or trees, and any other yard work that produces biological waste, one that you should not be throwing away. Composting is an easy and practical way to save you money and reduce waste. Your plants have already produced all of the necessary materials, it’s now up to you to put them to good use. Simply lay all that green mush in your composting area and let Mother Nature do her work. In a short amount of time, you will have great, natural and organic fertiliser that you can spread around your garden, boosting its output. It’s the circle of life with wasting none and wanting none.
3. Tools of the trade
Any craftsman is as good as his tools. You can only do so much with your bare hands and, if you want to have a proper garden, you need proper tools. Now, we are not talking about breaking your bank but getting some essentials that you will use daily. Two pairs of gardening gloves (one to use while the other one is getting washed), a smaller gardening shower, quality and reliable reeling hoses, a simple how and rake combo with some pruning scissors and, you almost have everything you need.
Start with these essential tools that you can find anywhere, later you can opt-out for some specialised ones if necessary. Remember to keep them in good condition by cleaning them after every use and laying them to dry out. Oil and inspect them once a year, and that’s all there is to it.
4. Location, location, location
As in real estate, the same applies to gardening. One of the first rooky mistakes to make is to plant your vegies willy-nilly. Studying up a bit on what plant needs more or less sunlight is a good way to start your garden planning. Even better is to use some of the free garden planning apps out there. Tech and nature can go hand in hand.
Do this studying while you are drinking your coffee on the balcony and envisioning your perfect green haven. Don’t worry even if you make a mistake because you can always move your plants. If this sounds like too much of a hustle, or you don’t have the means to adapt, choose robust, universal plants. They can grow just about anywhere.
5. The bigger picture
Growing plants can do wonders for your health. Mental and physical alike benefit from garden work, being outside and being surrounded by greenery. It’s a good way to remind you that we are all part of this world and are somehow connected. When you are in your garden don’t kill or chase away bees. They pollinate your plants and are necessary for the ecosystem.
Ladybugs eat smaller and more harmful insects on your plants, so you can view them as a form of natural pesticide. Worms fertilise the soil and, birds also eat insects and pests. All of these cute critters can be valuable allies and, you should not opt for pesticides or means to kill or chase them away. Gardening, big or small, is there to let us see how the world functions. And it functions best when we all work together.
Embarking on any new adventure can seem daunting and intimidating, at first. What you should do, is make that first step because it all gets easier afterwards. Bit by bit, step by step and soon you will be able to see the fruits of your labour manifest before your very eyes. Your little green peace of haven will be safely nested in your backyard. At all times, you will be able to go there, recharge your batteries and get something natural and healthy to eat. We wish you all the best in your future endeavours.
