Winter may still be here for a few more weeks, but spring is around the corner! Before you know it you will be plotting out your garden with which spots will be for certain kinds of vegetables, which spots will get the best sun, etc. Gardening can be an incredibly relaxing and enjoyable pastime, but it can also be frustrating if things go wrong. Below are three ways to enjoy your garden a bit more this spring:
Understanding Best Practices for Watering – If you’ve gardened before then you know the two main things that plants need are sunlight and water. Some plants require a lot of watering! For some devoted gardeners, the watering process can be the most laborious and time consuming. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way. By finding a sprinkler system or water hose that works for your needs, you can make this part of gardening simple. For some, the answer is a sturdy garden hose that should last up to ten years and can provide you with the range you need for every inch of your garden. Hoses vary in size from as short as 25 feet or as long as 100 feet so you should be able to find exactly what you need. For others with bigger gardens a commercial water hose or sprinkler system may be the best bet.
Soil Basics – Do you know whether or not the soil where you live and garden is acidic or basic? What about the mineral content? These are just two of the questions that you can ask your local garden shop to determine what all you need to add to your garden this year. If you recently moved into a new home with raised beds in the backyard, but aren’t sure what was grown there or how the soil was treated a garden store might advise you to buy new soil and turn it over with what is already there. You want to set your plants up to succeed, and the first way to do that is to make sure the soil they are being placed into is rich in the nutrients they need.
Learning About Your Garden Location – Where you decide to plant your garden matters. You should consider the amount of direct sunlight the area receives as well as the vicinity to soil that may not be ideal for plants or vegetation. For instance, if there are areas of your backyard that look sandy and do not hold grass well, but your front yard has great soil and green grass, then you may want to consider putting beds in your front yard rather than back.
Sunlight and water don’t only pertain to the health of your plant and vegetable garden, but also to the grass in your yard. A good reminder is that if you are looking to keep your grass green during warm months, you should plan to run your sprinkler system at least an hour to 90 minutes per day. With these tips and what you already know about maintaining a garden, you will be well on your way to an outstanding Spring!