Constructing a garden in your backyard comes with so many benefits especially when you have vegetables in it. Vegetables are the dominant crops you will find in any garden. They are one of the means of supplying the right amount of vitamins required by every human being. Growing a garden in your backyard will provide you with fresh vegetables and herbs anytime there is a need for them in your family.
A garden is a piece of land set aside for the growing of flowers, shrubs, and other vegetables that may be consumed at home. When you succeed in setting up your garden, you will appreciate the sweet flavors and the aesthetic addition it brings to your home.
Most people find it very difficult to start and maintain a garden in their homes. If you have the desire to own one but you are at a loss on how to set it up, there are experts at home activities that will guide you through the entire process of setting up a garden.
We have also included some steps that you can take to grow your garden plants.
How to Grow Your Garden Plant from Scratch
The following are some essential steps in growing crops in your garden:
Select the Appropriate Spot
Most flowers and vegetables require an average of six to eight hours of sun every day. With this, you have to determine the particular spot in your compound that is exposed to sufficient sunlight against the places that receive little or no sun daily. Tomatoes, for instance require a high amount of sun to thrive.
Conversely, some plants do not require heavy sunlight. Some of them include hostas and ferns. This means that you have to check what you want to cultivate and the level of sun it requires before you select a spot in your yard.
Prepare the Soil
Make sure that the sod in the place you want to cultivate is removed. After this process, you have to improve the fertility of the soil. The soil in your compound needs improvement because in some circumstances, the topsoil must have been washed away. The soil may be poor, overly wet, and acidic. The best way to improve your soil fertility is to inject organic matter such as decayed leaves, old manure, dry grass clippings, and two to three compost layers while making the new bed. If you need a detailed explanation of the uses of organic matter in your garden, you can check here:
https://www.ehow.com/list_7465802_uses-organic-compounds-agriculture.html.
Cultivate the Soil
This stage requires adequate digging and tilling of the area where you intend to plant your crops. Doing this helps the root of the plants to go deep into the soil to access nutrients and water. Tilling involves the use of a mechanical device like a rototiller to cultivate the soil, while digging is the use of a spading fork or sharp spade to break loose balls that help in mixing of organic matter in the soil.
Select your plants
Most farmers use plant brochures to pick what they want to plant. You can also search the internet to choose from the list of options available. No matter the option you decide to use, make sure you select the crop that is suitable for your soil. You can check out this article if you need tips on indoor plant selection
Begin Planting
Some plants need either warm or cold temperatures to grow properly. For instance, tomatoes and some other annual flowers thrive well in warm temperatures. Perennial crops perform very well in mid-autumn and mid-spring. It is imperative to find out the weather condition that suits the crop before you start planting.
Watering Schedule
To ensure that the seedlings do not dry out, you have to water them daily. Gently spray water on them to achieve an evenly moist soil especially at the early stage of the crop’s growth.
Cover the Garden with Mulch
You can use mulch to keep the weeds out while retaining the moisture. By using mulch, you will reduce the number of times you water the crops and also limit the amount of sun the crops are exposed to. This will also stop the germination of weeds in your garden.
These are some recommended steps to grow your crops from scratch, you can also search the internet if you need more.
Conclusion
Growing a plant in your backyard isn’t much of a difficult task when you approach it with experience and attention to detail. Crops fare better when their specific needs are met and this entails that you have to make adequate research on the type you intend to grow in your garden before you start planting.