No matter where you live you can grow plants, even if it is an apartment. Consider these 6 things when you are ready to grow a successful garden.
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Garden Space
The first item to consider is your space: do you live in an apartment or don’t have a yard. That is okay, consider growing a few items in pots. Herbs can be grown in small pots on a window sill. Several vegetable varieties do well in medium size pots and can do well on a small patio. If you have a yard, take some time to consider what type of a garden you would like to have.
Light
Once you have your space plotted out you need to consider the light. Does the window get sufficient light? Does your patio receive at least 6-8 hours of sunlight? Is the area of your yard you want to use shaded by too many trees? Plants need sufficient sunlight to grow well. I have found for most of plants they are happy with about 6-7 hours of direct sunlight.
Garden Soil
How will you deal with soil? Many home improvement and garden stores sell bags of soil that you can use for potted plants. If you will be planting a garden in your yard you do need to check the health of your soil. When reviewing your soil there are four primary types of soil, clay, silt, stony and sand. If you soil has more clay it will be hard to drain, and if it has more sand it may not retain enough water. To learn more about your soil review my article Is Your Soil Healthy?
Wind
If you will be growing your plants outdoors you need to consider wind. Do you live in an area with a lot of wind? Could the wind potentially damage your plants? Some windy days are fine and can strengthen your plants. There are ways to combat the wind. Consider creating lattice type fencing to put around your garden. The lattice will create a wind block, but still allow sunlight through.
Water
Next, how will your plants get water? If they are indoors it will be easy to just get water from the faucet. If you have pots on a patio, make sure you invest in a decent size watering can. Sometimes a watering can will be easier than using a hose. Does your area receive adequate rainfall? What will you do in times of drought? If you have an outdoor garden there are several varieties of hoses that can make watering easier.
Temperature
The final consideration is temperature. Do you know your frost times? The USDA has a hardiness zone map that can help you determine what your zone is. Most of the southern United States can grow something year-round. If you live in the northern states knowing your hardiness zone and understanding your microclimate are more critical to having a successful garden.
These 6 items can help you determine how you want to start your garden. If you have any gardening questions or tips, please share your comments below.
To recap below is the 6 things you need to consider.
- Space
- Light
- Soil
- Wind
- Water
- Temperature
