Gardening: A complete guide to set up your garden

It was the closing day at my office, after getting home, the messy home was making a face at me. I had to wash the pile of dirty dishes and clothes along with looking after the toddler. There was no place where I can sit and get relaxed. Plants and flowers always reenergize me so I thought to set up a garden in my backyard where I can get relaxed and have the pleasure of my mind.

To set up a beautiful and healthy garden I had enough space in my backyard but didn’t know where to start and how? To fulfill that task, I did a lot of research on it and thought to share it with you people so you can also get benefit from my endless efforts.

For establishing a perfect garden first question that come to my mind was,

What type of soil should I use?

Soil is the soul of a plant, it gives water, essential nutrients, and support to the plant to grow. If the soil is missing something your plant will bear it. A gardener must know about different kinds of soils and their uses for growing a healthy garden.

There are mainly six types of soils with different components.

      1. Clay soil

•  Clay soil is moist and has spaces between clay particles.
  
• it is hard to plant.
• Don’t have good drainage.
• Good for planting Perennials and shrubs such as flowering quince.
• wet in winter and dry in summer.
•  have a substantial amount of nutrients
  

 2.  Loamy soil

•        It is a combination of sand, silt, and clay soil.
•          High in nutrients
•            Good for most vegetable crops and berry crops.
•            It  has good drainage
•       Perfect for gardening

3.   Sandy soil

• It is granular
• Has good drainage
• Good for planting.
• Get warm in spring.
• Short in nutrients.
• Good for root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, etc) and bulbs (tulips, hibiscus, etc.).

4. Silty soil

         - the high amount of moisture and nutrients
      - great for gardening.
      - great drainage
      - perfect for fruits and vegetables.

 

    5.       Peaty soil

•  Get warm in spring
•  Soft and absorbent
•  More acidic and low in nutrition.
•   The addition of organic matter like lime can lessen acidity.
•   Good for vegetable, root, and salad crops.

     6.       Chalky soil

• Alkaline in nature
•  Low nutrients result in yellowing leaves
•  The addition of organic matter can balance the PH level.
•  Good for Trees, bulbs, and shrubs (Lilac, etc) Vegetables (spinach, beets, sweet corn, and cabbage).

Which climate is suitable for which plant?

Plants behave like naughty kids they grow healthy on their own choices of climate. Carrots don’t like hot weather at all just like cacti don’t grow in cold climates. 

 

Here is the list of plants that I grow in my garden (cold weather).

1.           Asparagus
2.       Beets
3.      Carrots
4.      Spinach
5.      Wintergreen boxwood
6.      Hostas
7.      Dusty Miller
8.      Cherry
9.      Lily of the Valley
10.      Cabbage 

      Here are some plants’ names which are like the burning waves of the Sun.

 1.   Aloe Vera

 2.      Hibiscus

 3.      Mango

 4.      Marigold

 5.      grapes

       Different fertilizer patterns:

After the selection of soil and plant here comes the turn of vitamins(fertilizer) for soil.

Fertilizers play an essential role in increasing the fertility of the soil. It restores useful microorganism; help upgrade the framework of the soil and work as a supplemental nutrient.

Mainly there are two types of fertilizer.

1. Organic fertilizer

      Organic fertilizer is chemical-free or natural fertilizers you can have from plants and animals. These are biodegradable you can make them on your own. One has to be patient while using it. they are eco-friendly fertilizers.

                                

               These includes

 

1. Worm’s castings
2. Cow manure
3. Hot compost 
4. Compost tea
5. Coffee grounds
6. Eggshells

 2. Inorganic fertilizer

These are synthetic fertilizers made from petroleum products and rocks.it gives fast results with an exact nutrient ratio. They are harmful to the environment.

They are of three types:

1.            Nitrogen fertilizer
2.            Phosphorous fertilizer
3.            Potassium fertilizer

Excessive fertilizer can cause harm for the soil just like excessive food can upset the stomach.

For best results, fertilizer should be applied once or twice a year.

When to prune the plant?

Damage or dead leaves looks unpleasing. As a gardener when you saw any damaged, yellowish, or infected part of the plant just clip it slightly. But remember one thing large trimming would be effective in spring because your plants are blooming and have faster growth.

How to save your plants in heavy rain?

Heavy rain would be the toughest time for your plant, it can cause damage to plants and ruin your efforts. There are five ways through which you can save your garden from heavy rain

1.  Don’t let water stay in your garden design your garden with a proper drainage system
2.   Arrange a rain cover for your garden
3.    Protect baby/ weak plants with support
4.    Prune all the damaged parts
5.    If possible, take the small pots inside the house

When to water the garden?

Watering your plant is the most confusing thing in gardening. Gardeners get trouble knowing when to water and how much?? There are simple rules for watering

1. Water requirement changes as per the requirement of soil and climate
2. You can’t schedule the water
3. Water the plant as they needed: rule to check the moisture of soil just stick your finger in the soil if it comes out wet don’t water the plant (work only for deeper roots system)
4. The finger rule didn’t work for tiny seedlings, you should keep the soil moist for baby seeds.
5. Outdoor container/pot needs water daily
6. A hot/ dry climate evaporates water quickly so the plant needs more water whereas a humid climate has the opposite effect
7.  Water needs increase in summer and vice versa in spring and winter

8.      Hope you will follow my advice while watering your garden.

Hope these tips will help you in building up a strong and appealing garden. Best of luck