Gardening is no easy task. It may seem easy because all that appears is digging and planting. However, there are many facets involved with gardening, and for those who have never gardened before, don’t stress. Here are some pointers for starting a garden, even if you’ve never picked up a shovel in your life.
Make Sure You Have The Basics
Now, when I say the basics, I mean the basics. You will need some plants to start with, along with water and some plant food. As you go along, make sure you have a shovel, even if the smallest shovel, and a garden shed from MyDeal to store your tools in.
Start Small
If you’re about to start your first garden, chances are you’re not going to have to tend to an acre or two. You should start off small, even if it’s just a kitchen garden. Sometimes the smallest starts are better than no start at all.
Choose Plants That Are Made For Your Environment
The Greenhouse People offers their advice for growing a flourishing garden. "Planting herbs throughout your plot can help to repel insects with their strongly scented leaves.For example, sage repels cabbage moths and French Marigolds are great to grow with tomatoes because their strong scents repel aphids. They’re also very pretty. The benefits extend beyond protection, as the addition of herbs can enhance the flavours of other plants too. For example, growing basil alongside tomatoes and lettuce enhances the flavour of both. Top tip: If you grow the herb wormwood you can make a tea that, when poured on plants, repels slugs.” Find out more about the Greenhouse People by following them on Facebook and Twitter.
Things Take Time
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will your garden. Things like this take time, and are worth the time. You won’t be able to have a garden like Versailles over the space of one weekend, so make sure you chip away at it for a while, so you can make it look its absolute best.
Fake It ‘Til You Make It
Sometimes there just isn’t time or space for you to grow a healthy lawn, or grow a full veggie patch, so it’s best to fake it til you make it. I’m not saying you should go to the supermarket, buy some veggies and then pretend that you got them from your garden. However, you can lay down some lush artificial grass so you can make it appear that you have a healthy lawn. You can even plant some flowers in a vertical garden, if you don’t have space for a horizontal one.
For Those With Larger Gardens
Peter Mumford from Arbor Operations shares his advice for those with larger gardens. “Remove dying or dead trees, including thick foliage, now
• Cut back low-lying and overhanging tree branches around two metres from all property rooflines
• Ensure grass is cut right down around dwellings to reduce the chance of grass fires
• Clear the gutters and roofs of leaves, fallen branches and other debris
• Mulch garden beds to reduce the height of vegetation that could become fuel for a fire.” Find out more about Arbor Operations by following them on Facebook.