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Perhaps you’re building healthy habits and you’d like to be able to grow more of your own food so that you can save a little more money at the grocery store. Maybe you feel like your home cooking would taste better if you incorporated some fresh vegetables and herbs. Or, maybe you’re looking for a new hobby, and you’ve got an empty corner of your backyard that would be the perfect space for gardening.
Gardening can be an extremely useful and rewarding endeavor for people of all ages, and getting started is easy! Just follow these simple steps to set up your own backyard garden and begin growing many different plants, including delicious fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
Hire a Landscaper
Before you do anything else, you may need to take a closer look at the state of your yard. If it’s been a while since you’ve shown some love to your landscaping, you may want to get this in order before you set to work on your garden. To expedite the process, hire a local landscaper to get everything cleared away and ready to go. You can use websites like Angi to help you locate trusted and experienced landscapers around Cincinnati. Once your yard has been spruced up, you can begin work on your very own garden.
Build Garden Beds
Designate a space in your yard to build raised gardening beds. This can be a fun weekend DIY project. Good Housekeeping states that you will need wooden planks, rebar, a rubber mallet, cardboard, and soil to fill the bottom once you’re finished. You’ll position and prop up your boards, add support to the sides using rebar, line the bottom with cardboard, and then add soil.
If you need help planning out your garden, and you have a little wiggle room in your budget, you can get in touch with a professional. Gardeners can assist you with creating a garden that is specifically designed for your needs and the amount of time you can commit.
Put Up a Fence
Do you have deer in your area? How about other wildlife that might take a stroll through your yard and get curious about the plants sprouting in your garden?
Once you’ve built your raised beds, you will probably want to build a fence around them to protect your plants. Otherwise, you may head out to water your plants one morning, only to find that a critter has been gnawing on them while you were inside! You will also want to install a small gate in your fence so that you can still easily enter and exit your garden.
Purchase Supplies
Before you begin planting, you’ll need to head to your local garden center to pick up a few supplies. Gardener’s Path recommends getting a trowel, hoe, and hand fork. In addition, you’ll need pruning shears, a watering can, and a handy wheelbarrow. And if you don’t already have a hose, now is the time to make this essential purchase!
What to Plant
You’re probably curious about easy plants for beginner gardeners to grow. Thankfully, you have a wide variety to choose from!
Want to grow vegetables? Start with cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, garlic, and squash. If you’re interested in growing fruit, you may want to plant blackberry, blueberry, or raspberry bushes. And you’ll definitely want to get a few commonly used herbs in the mix, too, so consider planting thyme, sage, or lemon balm. Herbs are loaded with health benefits, and even if they won’t be a part of your new garden, you can take a supplement from Vianda to enjoy herbs’ energizing perks.
Tending Your Garden
To properly tend to your garden, make a habit of checking it every day. Water plants that are looking a bit wilted, pull up any weeds you find, and pick produce off the vine as soon as it gets ripe so that it doesn’t rot before you have a chance to eat it. Keep an eye out for bugs that could eat your produce, too! Most plants just need water, sunlight, and a little tender loving care, and with those magic ingredients, you’ll be able to grow a bountiful harvest.
Even if you don’t think you have a green thumb, you can begin learning basic gardening skills. When you know how to grow your own food, you become more self-reliant and gain a deeper appreciation for the natural world. Soon enough, you’ll be pulling up carrots, picking ripe tomatoes, and sharing your zucchinis and peppers with your neighbors!
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