Many people start a home garden with the best intentions, but they quickly lose interest after the first season. A few simple tips can help you maintain your garden year-round, so you get to enjoy all of the benefits it has to offer!
1. Make a Schedule
Gardening can be a lot of work, but it won’t seem so bad if you make a schedule and stick to it. Dedicate a specific day each week or month to working in your garden, and try to stick to that schedule as closely as possible.
Some people find it hard to get out in the garden when it’s cold or wet, but if you have a set routine, you’ll be more likely to do it. You can work on the garden on the weekends as well if your schedule allows, but it’s important to have a designated day of the week for this. If that is not possible, take advantage of the sunny days when they come or the evening after work.
2. Use Mulch.
Mulching your garden is a great way to help it stay healthy and look good all year round. Mulch helps to retain moisture in the soil, keeps weeds down, and can even help to prevent pests from invading your garden. Mulching is easy to do, and many types of mulches are readily available at garden centers.
Mulching saves water, time, and money. Mulching material can be as simple as a few inches of organic material like leaves, grass clippings, or compost. You can also buy landscaping fabric and bark mulches at your local garden center. Just be sure to keep it 4-6 inches away from the stems and trunk of newly planted trees and shrubs.
3. Add Plants That Will Bloom Year-Round.
Not all gardens have to be filled with vegetables. Adding plants that will bloom all year long can add some beauty to your garden and help to keep it looking fresh all year long. It is also important to have diverse plants in your garden, both for beauty and pest control. Try to use organic products when possible.
Using organic fertilizers, pest controls, sulfur prills, etc., can help you avoid contaminating soil or groundwater with harsh chemicals that are bad for the environment. Look for natural alternatives whenever possible. Try rotating your crops every year for the best results.
Crop rotation is a great way to help prevent erosion, build up of pests, and nutrient depletion. Rotate your crops so that you plant corn in a plot one year, for example. The following year, plant peas or another type of legume instead.
4. Take Care of Pests and Diseases Early.
If you catch pests or diseases early, they are much easier to treat than if you let them get out of hand. Always inspect your plants closely for any signs of pests or diseases, and treat them as soon as possible.
Start seeds indoors for healthy transplants and earlier harvests. If you want to start harvesting your vegetables even earlier than normal, consider starting the seeds indoors! This way they will already be good sized transplants ready to go into the garden once that final frost has passed.
5. Keep a Garden Journal.
A garden journal is a great way to track your progress throughout the year. Write down what you planted, when you planted it, and how well it did. This will help you better plan for next year and ensure you are getting the most out of your garden. Few people have a garden journal, but it can be a beneficial tool.
Following these tips will help you maintain your garden, so you can continue to reap all of the benefits it has to offer. Therefore, take the time to implement these tips into your gardening routine, and you will be sure to have a beautiful and flourishing garden all year round!
Some of the ideal crops for the kitchen garden include beans, mint, and marigolds. Beans are nitrogen fixers, which means they help to replenish the soil with nitrogen while also providing plants with a boost of nutrients. They do this by pulling nitrogen out of the air and converting it into nutrients for other plants to use.
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