Whether you have decided on a garden of flowers, herbs, or vegetables investing in some basic gardening supplies will help.
Compost, a decaying organic matter mix, will improve the overall health of the soil. You can make your own compost or purchase it in bags from your gardening center or nursery. Mulch, if applied to the garden in spring, cuts down on the weeding and watering that needs to be done during the summer. Mulch can consist of pine straw, wood chips, or better yet organic mulch so it can break down and feed the soil over a period of time.
Gardening tools, just a basic set, which includes a trowel for digging, a dibbler for making holes for the seeds and plants, and a three-prong cultivator to help establish your rows and weed for the small garden. Invest in a good garden hose and spray attachment that will release gentle sprays when you water. A wide-brimmed garden hat and sunblock should be used when you are in the garden for sun protection or wear something with long sleeves if you do not use sunblock. A topnotch pair of gardening gloves that keeps your hands protected and clean is a must. Many gardeners have discovered that many gardening tasks mean time spent on your hands and knees so they have invested in kneelers or gardening mats that give you some protection between the knees and the ground.
Choose the gardening site well; whether for containers, a ground site or raised beds, you are going to need the ideal amount of exposure to the sun that is best suited for what you are going to plant. Fruit, vegetables, and most herbs need at least 6 hours of full sun every day, some will need more. Flowers are a little different, some require full sun, partial sun or shade the choice is yours. You may also want to choose an area that is near the water spigot for ease in watering. You will want to prepare your soil when the ground thaws by improving it with plenty of organic matter such as compost. Building good garden soil over the years takes adding organic material to it every year. Your garden soil is actually a garden that grows and creates everything that your plants will need. In other words, if you feed the soil it will in turn feed your plants.
There are some plants that are very hard to grow from seed such as petunias, peppers, and tomatoes so it is better to purchase the seedlings from your local nursery or garden center. You do not want to plant too early. Some people want to start their gardens the first nice day of spring but that could turn to be disastrous they may end up getting hit by another frost and die. If planted too early and the seedlings first few weeks are too wet or too cold, they may not produce they way you anticipated or they could also die. Check with your local nursery or a neighbor who gardens about the best time to plant for your area.
As new
gardeners you want to be able to enjoy yourself. Your first year may not produce the best tomatoes or prize winning flowers but it provides you relaxation, a chance to get back to nature and a little exercise. Always grow the things that adapt well to your climate and choose the ones you want to grow. Keep things small to start out and you will enjoy your efforts, get better at it and you may become one of the greatest vegetable or flower
gardeners of your neighborhood.
