{"id":11771,"date":"2023-03-24T14:12:52","date_gmt":"2023-03-24T18:12:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/?p=11771"},"modified":"2023-03-28T13:17:35","modified_gmt":"2023-03-28T17:17:35","slug":"the-beginners-guide-to-home-gardening","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/the-beginners-guide-to-home-gardening\/","title":{"rendered":"Home Gardening, It’s Easy!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Written By: Tianna<\/span><\/p>\n

Edited By: Niyati Patel <\/span><\/p>\n

Designed By: Cece Ndiwa<\/span><\/p>\n

Published By: Maryam Khan<\/span><\/p>\n

The Beginners Guide to Home Gardening<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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DiedovStock – stock.adobe.com<\/span><\/p>\n

Spring is right around the corner, and that means it\u2019s time to think about your garden!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Gardening is something that a lot of people try to do and it can be frustrating, long, and sometimes seemingly fruitless. That won\u2019t be the case this year! In just a few paragraphs I will give you the ultimate beginners guide to gardening.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How to Start Home Gardening\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Oftentimes, people will go to their local plant nursery and buy a pack of seeds, slap them in some soil, and hope for the best. This could work at times, but before we get our hands dirty we need to learn about what makes a good garden.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Start by making a sun map. This will be a birds eye view of the area you wish your plants to go. Whether that be your front or backyard, your balcony, or even your kitchen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After the general room layout has been completed it is time to sketch the sun patterns. You can do this one of two ways. The first way is watching the sun in the morning, midday, and in the evening and seeing where the shadows are most prominent and what areas get the most sun. Alternatively, you can predict this by knowing where the sun rises and sets in relation to your gardening area.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Remember: the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Sketch the way the sun shines for morning, midday, and evening on the same map using different colours for each time. Having a sun map will allow for easier prediction on where your plants will thrive. It is also helpful to note where the wind would be the strongest, and where wind protected areas are located.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Did you know that full sun means the area gets more than 6 hours of sunlight per day?\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

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Above is an example of one way you could make your sun map. It does not have to be anything fancy, just a visual way to see how the sun interacts with your gardening space.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After you have sketched out your sun map, it may be best to create a planting journal. This allows you to record what you want to plant, where, and when. By doing this you can record your plant’s journey throughout the growing season and make any necessary changes the next year. Perhaps, the peppers you planted should\u2019ve been moved to the other side of the yard, or your tomatoes didn\u2019t get watered enough. No matter what it could be, by having a planting journal you can always refer back to what worked and some things that simply did not.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, test your soil. Some soil is more acidic than others and you want to make sure that your plants are getting the best nutrients possible. When your plants get the best treatment, that means you do too! You want to make sure there won\u2019t be any bad chemicals being ingested after labouring over your veggies. A neutral pH is best for plants, meaning that the pH is between 6.5 and 7.5. You can buy soil testers at your local gardening centre.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Time to Garden!\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

This is where the exciting part happens, the gardening! You can start your garden by seeds or by purchasing plants that are already growing. Either way this is where your journey really begins. When you pick your plant, you want to make sure that you can provide everything it needs. Whether that be full sun, partial sun, full shade, wind protection, or certain nutrients. By doing some research on what plant works best for your gardening space, you will have better results when it comes time for harvest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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healthline.com<\/b><\/a>\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Many of the best plants for beginners can be grown outside, or for those who do not have a backyard they can even be grown indoors with the proper provision of light!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For those who do not have an outdoor space:\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n