April showers bring May flowers and, for those of us who are gardening newbies, the thought of those May flowers can be a bit overwhelming. While hanging baskets and potted plants can make a beautiful impact on any yard, there may be those of you who are wondering what it would take to create your very own garden to tend to.
While there is definitely some research and hard work involved, building your own garden from scratch can be incredibly rewarding, and can take any yard to the next level. To help you get an idea on where to start, we’ve compiled some basics on what to consider when starting a garden, and the various options available based on what your time and space may allow.
Happy planting, friends!
Choose a Location
This one may seem simple, but there’s prep work involved in choosing the perfect location for your new garden. First, pay attention. You’ll want to get an idea of how the sun and shade affect your yard at various times throughout the day, and what areas may collect the most water after it rains. Water is good, but too much can harm your plants without proper drainage (have a waterlogged yard? Consider a raised plant bed!).
Many plants, including fruits and vegetables, also require 6-8 hours of sunlight a day. If, after some observation, you recognize that you will not be able to supply your plants that much sunlight, it can also help direct you to more shade-friendly seeds.
Pick Your Plants
Now that you have an idea of the type of plant your yard may be able to best support, you can begin to research what plants will work best in your garden. This can be overwhelming – there’s so many options! You can narrow it down by what you love, what you’ll use (if you’re looking to plant veggies, fruits, and/or herbs), the color palette you’re going for, and the types of plants that thrive in your geographic area. If you’re still looking for some help on where to start, many employees at your local gardening center will be well educated on the subject and happy to help.
Sketch it Out
Once you find the perfect spot and get an idea of what plants you’re interested in, you’ll want to get an idea of your layout. Many seed packets will come with spacing suggestions, or you can research online. This will help you determine what your measurements should be, and allow you to create a rough sketch based on your ideal square footage, and what you want your garden to look like.
You’ll also want to consider the amount of time you have every day when sketching out your measurements. If you’re a first time gardener with limited time, a smaller garden (think 10 square feet) may be best to start.
Prep Your Space
If you’re gardening over grass and want a “no-dig” garden, there are some important steps to follow. Kellogg has a great step by step guide here.
If you decide to manually remove your grass, it is quite a bit of work, but extremely effective. Check out The Spruce for tips on how to best accomplish this.
If you’d like to create some dimension in your yard, or you’re concerned about drainage, creating raised plant beds is a great alternate option with multiple benefits. You can DIY a plant bed or purchase one. If you’re concerned about the amount of labor and time involved you can still use the “no-dig” method, if you prefer. For some great DIY ideas and how-to, check out The Old Farmer’s Almanac.
Get to Work, and enjoy!
You’re halfway there! Now, it’s time to put the work in. Gardening can be relaxing – but remember – it also takes patience, practice, and time. You may not knock it out of the park on your first try but, as you build confidence and skill, you can create and maintain the garden of your dreams year after year. As an added bonus, you can involve the whole family! Maintaining a garden takes dedication and teamwork, and is a spring and summer activity your entire household can enjoy together.
Ready to start a garden?
We hope you found our tips on how to start your very own garden helpful! For more how-to posts check out our How-To section full of posts you will love!