By: Bella Kolin
If you’re interested in picking up a new hobby while at home, try gardening. It’s good to go outside and get some vitamin D while growing plants that you can admire once they start blooming. Gardening teaches patience because it takes time away from technology while providing a different type of entertainment. Whether it’s flowers or a vegetable garden, here are some steps to have fun with creating your own garden.
Before you start buying soil and seeds, the first step is to make a list of any fruit, vegetable, or flower you’re interested in growing. By doing this, you can stay organized and know what to look for when buying the seeds. It helps to do some research on which plants grow better in your area. Also, start to prep your necessary supplies. This means gathering the basic gardening tools like a garden shovel, hand tools, a watering can, and a dirt or leaf rake.
Once you have a vision for your garden, the next step is to choose a location. The best location for gardening is a place where the plants will receive direct sunlight for a minimum of five hours a day. If you’re planting something inside, place it by a window sill where it has easy access to sunlight. Avoid planting in spots that are out of sight so you don’t forget to water them, and it doesn’t lead to a neglected garden. Watch out for any animals that could reach the plants and potentially destroy them. The perfect location will benefit your plants and your garden’s outcome.
The next step is to gather the soil and plants. Places like Home Depot and Lowes offer a wide variety of plants and soil while providing a curbside pickup or delivery. When shopping for soil, it is important to look for nutrient-rich, well-drained soil. To be environmentally friendly, use organic soil. There are different types of soil because they range on a pH scale, however many plants are used in a pH of 7 (neutral). When beginning to plant the seeds, plant them three times as deep as the diameter. If transplanting flowers, you can plant them in a pot or in the ground at the same depth they came in. Remember to water transplants daily, and try watering them in the morning in order to minimize evaporation. Young, smaller plants can be easier to damage, so they would need more care until they start to bloom more. Mulch is recommended because it is used to retain soil, keep moisture, and decrease the chances of weeds.
Now that you have all the steps to master your own garden, you can begin and have fun while enjoying some outside time in the fresh air!
Photo courtesy of mercurynews.com
