Tag: Garden
Gardening
Home gardening is a wonderful way to spend quality time with family and friends while producing nutritious food. However, like anything else in nature, maintaining your garden requires dedication and hard work.
When starting a garden, the first step is selecting an ideal location that receives direct full sun for six or more hours daily. Without proper nutrition, plants will become less nutritious and flavorful.
Once you determine your region’s climate zone and growing seasons, the USDA provides a plant hardiness map that divides America into 13 zones based on average annual minimum temperature.
Understanding climate zones allows you to select plants that will thrive in your conditions. For instance, locating your garden near north side of house will provide more sunlight for crops requiring longer exposure (like corn, tomatoes and peppers).
Once you’ve selected a location and planted your seeds, it’s time to care for your plants. This could include watering, pruning, weeding, and fertilizing.
Additionally, it’s essential to ensure the soil in your garden is rich and nutrient-rich. Not only will this keep plants healthy and productive, but it will also make them more resistant to diseases and pests.
Winter is a crucial time to protect your garden from harsh weather conditions. A few easy steps can help with this: use an irrigation system; plant cover crops; protect soil from ice and snowfall; mulch your garden with leaves or straw for extra insulation; and ensure all vegetation has enough moisture.