By Kendry Lee
The recent wave of environmental consciousness and eco-friendliness has led to many people switching to home-grown foods. If you are also developing a keen interest in home gardening, welcome to the team! Vegetable gardening is the best way to get instant access to safely grown vegetables that do not harm the environment in any way. Gardening can also be a great stress reliever and a healthy physical activity too!
Tips for Starting a Vegetable Garden in Your Home
- Choose Easy-to-Grow Vegetables
As a beginner, you might not want to see poor results or failure, as demotivation can come very easily. It is important to keep your skillset and understanding of gardening in mind, and then choose the vegetables you want to plant in your vegetable garden. We recommend choosing easy-to-grow vegetables that have seeds readily available and require lesser care than others. The best vegetables to grow in your first-time-ever vegetable garden are carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, and beans.
However, the choice of veggies also hugely depends on the climate, weather conditions, and space that is available in the garden. For example, tomatoes survive well in late spring, while lettuce and peas are good for cooler weather conditions.
It is also a good choice to grow herbs at home. There are still many types of herbs that are not 100% organic in grocery stores and supermarkets, and they are also pricier. Growing these at home can save a lot of money and you know they are organic too!
- Start Small
If you live in an apartment or don’t have enough space to dig up and build a literal garden, start with plant pots. You can easily grow most vegetables in any planting pot. Just make sure that the pot has a good drainage system, or simply make a hole at the bottom of the pot so there is appropriate drainage. In addition to this, don’t go overboard and begin with large-sized pots. Small to medium-sized pots are a great choice for beginners, as this allows you to manage the plants much more efficiently.
- Choose the Perfect Location
We all know that two things that all plants need for survival are sunlight and water. Without a sufficient amount of these two, your plants are less likely to thrive. Watering your plants is an easy task. Even if you don’t have a water supply close to their location or a fancy setup with sprinklers, you can still fill up a watering can and water your plants. As for sunlight, the location of your garden is a huge turning point.
You need to be very careful about picking the right location for your vegetable garden. Most sun-loving vegetable plants need nothing less than 6 hours of direct sunlight every day. If you are planting leafy vegetables, plant them in a spot where the sunlight comes for a smaller duration, and the plants can get some shade every now and then. Herbs can also grow well in shade or inconsistent sunlight.
Another aspect to take care of when finding the location for your vegetable garden is the wind conditions. Avoid planting the vegetables high up so that strong winds do not knock them down. Moreover, the wind direction should also be away/opposite from the garden, so that when the plants grow tall, the wind doesn’t damage them. Try looking for a spot that gets the least wind. Alternatively, you can support your lank plants, the ones most vulnerable to wind, with poles and canes. Plus, you can install porous windbreaks to gently filter in the wind.
You must also keep in mind the space among crops. It is important to sow seeds or plant the vegetable at a reasonable distance from one another so that they don’t steal away each other’s sunlight and have room to grow healthily. Don’t crowd the garden with vegetables, and enjoy fewer but healthier vegetable plants instead.
- Don’t Compromise on Seeds’ Quality
Gardening is meant to be an inexpensive fun and healthy activity. Even in the long term, vegetable gardening can leave you with a lot of benefits. There is only one thing you must invest in and spend a little extra on. Go for high-quality, premium seeds instead of the cheaper ones. Find a good and reliable store to buy the seeds from. If the quality of seeds is not good enough, the plants will also be not of satisfactory quality. We all have access to cheap internet plans at home. Use this fast-speed internet and take advantage of Google to search for the best quality seeds available in your area or in an online store. You will also find several tips that you can use to identify low-quality seeds.
Must-Have Equipment for Your Home Vegetable Garden
- Gloves
If you really want to stay motivated and pursue vegetable gardening in the long-term, invest in a good-quality pair of gardening gloves. The COOLJOB Gardening gloves for men and women are readily available in various sizes. They can be bought in a range of 5 sizes and come in two pairs. Therefore, you will always have an extra pair waiting for you in case the other one is dirty.
These gloves are affordable, one of the top-rated ones available. Their breathable fabric and the rubberized grip qualify them as a must-have for all your gardening chores. Such gloves protect your hands from damage, any exposure to ants or insects, and also prevent possible allergic reactions. You can also get these in kid’s size to involve your little ones in healthy activities. Don’t worry about getting them dirty since they are completely machine washable!
- Kneeling Pad
Even though a kneeling pad is not a must-have equipment for gardening, it can surely make your life comfier. Gardening chores often require you to kneel down and stay on the plant’s level to work with it. This can lead to soil getting on your knees, legs, and cause a huge mess. To avoid this, a kneeling pad can be of great help. The InSassy Garden Kneeler Pad is available in a variety of colors. It is made with high-density foam that provides great support, comfort and safety to you while you do your gardening rituals. It also has a non-toxic nature, so don’t worry about damaging the environment.
- Pruning Shears
Also known as pruners, pruning shears are like specialized scissors for plants. They are strong enough to cut through plant branches, stems, leaves, and so on. These are a must-have in any vegetable garden.
The Fiskars 91095935J Steel Pruning Shears comes with a safety lock that prevents any accidents when the pruner is not in use. This is a very important feature if you have kids or pets playing around the garden area. It features a steel blade that is extremely hard and sharp, so cutting with it can be seamless and effortless. It has a cutting capacity of about 5/8 inches of diameter and has a strong and comfortable grip that does not put a strain on your hand despite extensive use. All these remarkable features of the pruner come with a lifetime warranty.
Final Thought
These gardening tips are useful for every beginner bent on a gardening adventure. They will give you an idea of where to begin, highlight the essential gardening paraphernalia, help you exercise caution where necessary, and enjoy your own fresh organic vegetables.
