Spring has finally sprung, and you’re eager to get your hands dirty and create a thriving garden. However, you also want to ensure that your plants have the best environment possible. Gardening is a rewarding hobby that provides many benefits, including stress reduction and the opportunity to eat healthier while saving money on produce. Whether you’re new to gardening or you’ve been honing your craft for years, you can create or revitalize your garden with these five easy steps.
1. Address Any Landscaping Concerns
You should always address any landscaping concerns you have before you begin planting. For example, how does the yard look around your garden? Do you need to clear debris, remove shrubs or trees, or widen an existing garden? Do you want to install a raised garden or repair one you used previously? How’d the edging to your garden and flower beds? Do you need to keep rabbits and other critters away this year?
These are all critical questions you should be asking yourself, and doing so will help you determine if there are any necessary changes you should make. An optimal landscape and garden bed is key to improving the outcome of your garden come harvest time.
2. Do a Thorough Spring Cleanup
You can’t plant before a thorough spring cleanup. Start by clearing away debris from in and around your gardening area, including fallen branches, last year’s plants, grass, and leaves. Garden beds that are clear of debris will have better outcomes and help keep pests and plant diseases out of your garden.
Are your plants and flowers automatically watered? Be sure to check any equipment or DIY hacks you use to ensure that everything is working correctly.
3. Test and Feed Your Soil
Most gardening experts recommend testing your soil every three to five years. However, if you’re new to gardening or haven’t planted in a couple of years, you should conduct a test before getting started.
Testing your soil provides you with vital information about the nutrients and organic material that your soil may be missing so you can fertilize accordingly. For example, highly phosphorous soil will need fertilizers that contain less phosphorus. If your test reveals your soil has more alkaline, add aluminum sulfate to your fertilizer.
We also recommend you follow the directions of any fertilizer you purchase carefully to achieve the best results.
4. Choose the Right Produce and Flowers
Did you know that certain produce and foliage have difficulty growing in Virginia? Or that different vegetables need to be planted at different times of the year. If you have specific produce in mind or you’re looking for ideas, start by reviewing vegetable planting schedules in Virginia.
If it’s not quite time to plant a particular vegetable, consider indoor planting and transferring your plants to your garden when the time is right. Doing so can actually help your garden in the long run and give your plants a head start for a greater harvest.
5. Get to Planting
You can start planting once your garden is ready and you’ve selected appropriate seeds for your garden. Be sure to begin with fertilizer that’s best for your soil and plants before adding seeds. Additionally, you should always take note of care instructions for each individual type of plant, including how often and how much to water.
The Bottom Line
Spring is the best season to start an outdoor garden. You can grow a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and flowers to provide a beautiful outdoor space and provide your family with healthy, cost-effective produce.
Anyone can pick up gardening, even those who lack a green thumb. Gardening is a skill you can get better at over time. Plus, you can improve the outcome of your outdoor garden by following our five simple steps. Happy planting!
Are you interested in starting an outdoor garden? We can help! Contact Land Art Design today for a free consultation and learn how we can help you achieve the optimal gardening space.
