How to Start Your Own Garden This Spring
Have you been thinking about picking up a new hobby or returning to an old one maybe? With spring in full swing, starting your own garden is a perfect way to embrace the season and get outside! Planting a garden is a whole science within itself, but we’re offering some tips to get you started! Read on to learn a few beginner tips for building your own garden from the ground up and a few ideas to get you started planting.
Pick a Location
Starting out with the location of your garden, the most important criteria is that you pick an area with a lot of sun. A common mistake is planting where there’s too much shade, which will limit your success immensely. Also, be sure to pick a spot in the backyard that’s out of the way from where any dogs or young kids might be running and playing. Nobody wants a traipsed-through vegetable patch or a crying toddler who stubbed their toe!
We recommend you plant near a water source like a hose, and it’s preferable if this spot is on level ground or on a gentle slope, so that dirty water won’t settle where your plants are trying to grow. The soil in this spot should also be fertile and well-drained, so that the water can move through it quickly. This will provide the best baseline for your plants to thrive!
Get Building
Many people choose to start their garden in a contained bed so that they can keep track of plant growth and make it clear where the hard work is happening. For your garden bed, try raising it from the ground for a nice appearance and better drainage flow. Another benefit of raising your garden is to prevent weeds from spreading and from anyone stepping on and over your hard work.
Some of the best materials for a raised garden bed are cardboard, mulch, concrete, fabric and plastic. These materials will serve you well against pests, toxins, and weeds from infiltrating your garden, and can also smother any grass you’re growing on, so your new plants receive all the nutrients they need. You’ll also need to form a perimeter so that your garden stays contained. We recommend you use cedar or pine for this, which are weather resistant and also visually appealing!
Start Planting
Of course your first step is to fill the bed with soil. Research the best types of soil for the plants, vegetables, or flowers you plan on growing. As with most things, organic soil is usually your best bet. Lucky for you, April is the best month to start planting most of your vegetable seeds! Some cool-season vegetables that’ll be great for a beginner’s garden are peas, lettuce, spinach, carrots, beets, turnits, parsnips, and swiss chard. Plant your seedlings and be sure to follow the instructions for the best planting and maintenance strategies for your plants of choice. Remember, no two are the same and will require different amounts of water and care throughout the growing process.
Flowers
If you’ve got enough plants for your kitchen so far and want to add a bit of color to your garden or other areas of your backyard, these are the perfect flowers to start planting in April.
Pansies
Pansies are beautiful and delicate flowers you can plant right alongside your vegetable garden. The best part is that they’re edible, too! You can throw these edible flowers right into your salads alongside your vegetables, or just enjoy the look of them.
Violas
Similar to pansies, violas can be grown in the spring after the soil has thawed from winter. Be sure to cover them with about a quarter inch of soil in their pot and you should be able to see them blooming in just a matter of weeks.
Fun Fact
Now that you know all about planting your garden outside, did you know that there are some indoor plants that can actually provide health benefits inside your home? Certain plants can improve your indoor air quality! Check out our recent blog post to learn more about indoor plants and how they can improve the air quality in your home: https://garrisonandgarrison.com/plants-to-help-with-indoor-air-quality/.
Contact Us
We wish you the best of luck starting your garden and staying happy and healthy this spring. If you have any more questions about improving the air quality inside your home, contact us! Garrison & Garrison is a trusted American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning Customer Care Dealer in Madison County, AL. Call us at (256) 859-8500 for more information and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
