If you’re a beginning gardener or have problems getting a garden to form, there are ways you can promote a healthier living without investing too much money. While you may have to spend a few dollars here and there for necessities, much of the experience can utilize items you may already have around the home. Whether you are building a beautifully rich garden full of color or trying to get vegetables to grow for home-grown meals, your labor doesn’t have to be fruitless.
1. Starting Strong - Getting your plants to grow healthy can be difficult if your yard is heavily trafficked or the environment is too harsh for seedlings to take a solid root. Instead create starter plants within the home where you can control the entire environment the plants are subjected to. By keeping the seedlings indoors where they can grow stronger you are more likely to be successful in your gardening. Once the plants stand at least three to four inches, they can easily be transplanted to your garden.
2. Soil - Mixing nutrient-rich top soil into your garden can ensure that your plats have a solid base to work with. If you have the budget to include top soil, it would be advisable. However, there are ways to encourage a garden without investing a lot of money. Compost and natural mulch can be a great source of nutrients for your garden. This is the process of taking organic material from the home and yard to decompose in the garden to infuse it with the necessities the plants need. By mixing food bi-products from the home, leaves, and grass clippings into your soil, you can save money from topsoil purchases as well as reducing the amount of waste that you throw out.
3. Weed Prevention - Once your indoor started plants are transplanted into your compost-rich soil, it’s time to think about ways to prevent weeds from invading your garden. Mulch made from grass clippings, leaves, wood chips, or essentially anything else that can prevent weeds from getting direct sunlight can help eliminate the work of pulling these invaders out every weekend. For those who are developing edibles, many will use black plastic sheets to cover the beds save for the area where the plant is present.
4. Watering - Water is essential to promoting a healthy plant. Depending on your area, you could be faced with drought restrictions. In these areas, rain-barrels can be a savior providing it will rain any time in the near future. If you have the money to invest in a water saving material this can help your plants retain every droplet of water they can by keeping the water locked where it needs to be. These water saving materials are perfect for areas that are only allowed to water lawns and gardens on specific days. Your plants can live longer with less watering.
You’ll get out of your garden the amount of effort you put into the experience. This also includes a constant vigilance over the development and care of the plants themselves. At moments, it can be akin to caring for a child as you provide necessary nourishment and the proper environment for them to flourish. Don’t get discouraged if the plants don’t perform to your expectations and find solutions to what is causing the problems you face.
About the Author:
Humble Seed welcomes guest bloggers. This post is contributed by Linda Bailey from housekeeping.org. She is a Texas-based writer who loves to write on the topics of housekeeping, green living, home décor, and more. She welcomes your comments which can be sent to b.lindahousekeeping @ gmail.com.