\nTest and Improve the Soil <\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
Healthy soil is the foundation of a successful garden. To ensure your soil is healthy and nutrient-rich, you should have it tested for pH levels and nutrient content. The following factors are important for proper soil testing: <\/p>\n
Soil Test Timing:<\/strong> The best time to test your soil is in the fall, so you have enough time to amend your soil before planting in the spring. You can also test your soil in the spring if you missed the fall test. <\/p>\nTesting Procedure: <\/strong>To test your soil, you will need to take a soil sample from various parts of your garden. Mix the samples in a bucket and send a representative sample to a laboratory, or use a soil testing kit. <\/p>\nSoil Amendments:<\/strong> After testing, you may need to amend your soil by adding organic matter, such as compost or manure, to improve its texture, nutrient content, and water-holding capacity. Organic matter helps to break up clay soils, improve drainage in sandy soils, and provides nutrients for plant growth. <\/p>\nFertilizers:<\/strong> If your soil test indicates a nutrient deficiency, you may need to add fertilizer. Choose a fertilizer that matches your plants’ needs, and follow the application instructions carefully. Too much fertilizer can harm your plants and the environment. <\/p>\nMulching:<\/strong> Adding a layer of mulch on top of the soil helps to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature. Organic mulch includes grass clippings, wood chips, or shredded leaves. The mulch breaks down gradually and adds nutrients to the soil. <\/p>\nConsider Raised Beds:<\/strong> If your soil is poor, or you have limited space, consider building raised beds filled with high-quality soil. Raised beds are easier to manage, offer better drainage, and can be customized to suit your plants’ needs.<\/li>\n\nPrepare Planting Beds<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
For preparing planting beds, you can choose between raised beds or inground gardening. The names are self explanatory; with raised beds, plants are grown in soil that is higher than ground level. You can create raised beds with frames made from wood. <\/p>\n
Raised beds are better for small spaces, but they may need more watering, plus they take time and money to design and maintain, Inground beds demand more physical effort to build and are more exposed, but they require less time and money to build and maintain. <\/p>\n
Make sure your planting beds are wide enough to allow for proper plant spacing and are oriented to receive adequate sunlight. <\/li>\n
\nUse the Right Planting and Transplanting Techniques <\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
Proper planting and transplanting techniques are essential for ensuring your plants thrive. When planting seeds, make sure to follow the recommended planting depth and spacing for each variety. When transplanting seedlings, be careful not to damage the roots and plant them at the same depth as they were in their original containers.\n<\/li>\n
\nDesign Your Garden <\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
Your garden\u2019s aesthetics should complement your house and surroundings. A garden can serve as an irresistible visual landscape if designed correctly. Here are some tips to help you: <\/p>\n
Sketch your garden layout:<\/strong> Draw a rough sketch of your garden to help you visualize how you want to arrange the plants and other garden features. <\/p>\nIncorporate garden structures: <\/strong>Garden structures such as trellises, pergolas, or garden benches can add interest and functionality to your garden design. <\/p>\nAdd focal points:<\/strong> Focal points like a water fountain, statue, or bird bath can create a sense of interest and depth in your garden. <\/p>\nUse complementary colors: Choose plants and flowers that complement each other in color, texture, and height to create an aesthetically pleasing garden. <\/li>\n
\nGet Your Watering Right <\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
You must have a good watering schedule in place. Here are some tips: <\/p>\n
\n- Water early in the morning or late in the evening when the temperatures are cooler and the water will be absorbed better by the soil. <\/li>\n
- Water deeply and less frequently to encourage deep root growth. <\/li>\n
- Use drip irrigation or soaker hoses to conserve water. <\/li>\n
- Avoid watering during the heat of the day, as it can cause water to evaporate too quickly and potentially burn your plants. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- \n
Implement Weed Prevention and Control<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n
Weeds can easily ruin all your good work, so you need to take measures to prevent and counter them. Mulching is one of the best ways to suppress weed growth. It also helps to retain moisture and prevent soil erosion. <\/p>\n
You can choose from a variety of mulches. If you have a lot of perennials, you can use bark mulch, because it lasts long and is, therefore, a good fit for perennials that regrow every season. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Building your first garden doesn\u2019t have to be complicated. Whether it\u2019s for your own supply of fresh, organic produce or an outdoor paradise to help improve your well-being, you can make it happen by following small, comprehensive steps. Like most gardeners, I created my first garden as a novice. I remember enjoying the process very […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":85,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"How to Start a Garden | Sally\u2019s Flower Shoppe","_seopress_titles_desc":"Learn how to build your first garden! This comprehensive beginner\u2019s guide walks you through each step, from choosing the right month to soil testing, planting beds, and more.","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sallysflowershoppe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sallysflowershoppe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sallysflowershoppe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sallysflowershoppe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sallysflowershoppe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=82"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.sallysflowershoppe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":96,"href":"https:\/\/www.sallysflowershoppe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82\/revisions\/96"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sallysflowershoppe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/85"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sallysflowershoppe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=82"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sallysflowershoppe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=82"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sallysflowershoppe.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=82"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}