Introduction to home gardening tips for beginners
Do you want to start gardening at your home? No problem you can make your dreams come true with these easy home gardening tips. Here are some topics we will be discussing in the following article.
- Home balcony gardening tips for dummies
- Home terrace gardening tips and ideas
- Home container gardening ideas, tips
- Home indoor gardening tips, ideas
- Home backyard gardening tips, tricks
A step by step guide to gardening tips for home gardening
Before selecting the type of garden, you need to consider few things that are the most important things like the selection of site, availability of sunlight, choosing area close to the water, nutrient-rich soil, choosing the right plants, mulching, and feeding the plants.
Terrace gardening tips of home garden for beginners
You might think it is difficult to find the greens in the ever-expanding city. We are trying hard to save and retain green space in the concrete jungle era. The only way to increase the green in the city is to practice gardening in the residential flats, commercial hubs, or in the office complexes. The beauty of these gardens is that you can grow vegetables, flowers, or fruits on the top of the terraces, roofs of the buildings, or in the balconies. You can go through the tips below to create your terrace or roof garden in your building.
Preparing the terrace or roof
First, you need to waterproof the roof making it leakage-free so that the building does not get affected. Waterproofing is a simple procedure and several products are available for waterproofing. You can get the one which fulfills your requirement.
What is best for a terrace garden?
Pots or containers are the best for terrace gardens. Get a suitable container or pot from the market or you can use any container form home so that you can recycle it. Cover the bottom with stones and make a drainage hole at the bottom. This will provide a space for the water to flow but not the soil.
Pot mixing soil
You need to prepare the soil by mixing compost, sand, vermicompost, and soil in equal parts and fill the container or pot. Wet the soil and start sowing the seeds or sampling and just watch the bloom.
Which plants I can grow at terrace?
If you want to grow vegetables, then start the ones which grow fast and do not require much effort. So you can start with chili, capsicum, spinach, coriander, gram, fenugreek, etc. You can gain confidence once you grow them. Later you can start with fruits and vegetables of your own choice. You can grow almost all vegetables on the terrace.
Providing shade to your terrace garden
As they are directly exposed to the sunlight from day till evening it will harm your plants. So you need to cover your garden with shade. Your terrace garden might suffer from the scorching heat of the sun, so you need to protect your plants by covering it with UV stabilized garden shade. It protects your garden from excessive rains too. If you want to minimize your budget then you go with mosquito nets which are light in weight and serves the purposes too.
Use of wind barriers for terrace garden
In the terrace garden, the biggest problem is controlling high-speed winds. These may break tender shoots or plants with tender stems. To control these you need to install a solid wind barrier or fencing to protect your plants. Garden shades can protect your plants from winds but you need to clamp them sturdily to the roof floor to provide support to the plants.
How to plant the seeds in a terrace garden?
Once you are ready with the soil mixture and all the arrangements of a terrace garden, you have to start planting the seeds in a seedling tray and then you can transfer to the pot or you can directly sow the seeds in the pod. If you are using a seeding tray then you need to fill it with a potting mixture. Plant the seeds one inch deep into the sockets and sprinkle the water. After 5-6 leaves spring out then transplant them into separate pots appropriately. During the transplantation of saplings take care that the roots of the saplings do not expose to the direct sunlight. It is better to do the transplantation during evenings or in the shady area.
Adding mulch to the terrace garden
Apply 2-3 inches deep mulch around each plant. This reduces the weed and also protect the plant from moisture loss through evaporation. You can use shredded leaves or straw or other organic mulches for your terrace garden. This gives amazing results.
How to manage pests in a terrace garden?
Once your plant starts growing you need to deal with different pests like ants, aphids, bugs, etc. There are different ways to deal with them. So you need to deal with them organically to manage pests that affect your plants. Do not use chemicals to manage them because they are harmful.
Protect your terrace garden from birds and animals
Once your plant starts to bear fruit you need to cover them with wire mesh or nylon wires to prevent them from birds and tiny creatures like rats and squirrels.
Home balcony gardening tips for beginners
The construction of an apartment had very limited areas as it is very costly and you need to pay for every inch. In most of the cities, the apartment is provided with balconies or veranda. These areas you can utilize and create a beautiful garden with pretty flowers and organic nutritious vegetables of your choice.
Availability of natural illumination
In the balcony, you can check the amount of sunlight and it is proved that a balcony gets around six hours of sunshine. This allows for a variety of plantations in the balcony. Sunlight helps in the process of photosynthesis and enhances the proper growth of the plant.
Climatic conditions for balcony gardening
You need to know that the saplings grow well in natural conditions. You also make a note that the wind is directly proportional to the height of the building. The breeze on top of the building is different compared to the first and second floors. Hence, you need to grow the plants based on the season which gives you fine results.
Water outlet in balcony gardening
You need to advance the path of the water that flows from the pot should be diverted to the sewage facility provided by society.
What type of plants is good to grow in a balcony garden?
If you are a beginner then you can grow with easy growing plants such as cucumbers, tomatoes, spinach, celery, radish, beans, lettuce, etc. These plants are recommended for a small balcony. You need to be attentive and negligence is not recommended.
How to take care of the balcony garden?
You need to trim the top ends of the plants at regular intervals once in 10-15 days so that it will allow the branches to grow. Clay pots are more recommended as it has a natural property of keeping the soil cool. An appropriate mix of manure is required for the soil which enhances the growth of the plant. You need to be aware of a few delicate plants which are sensitive to excessive sunlight. So you have to create a shade by using plastic or a small umbrella as a precautionary measure. To enhance the beauty of the pots in the balcony you can place small colorful pebbles on the saucer of the pots. It will also help to increase the shelf life of earthen or clay pots. For vines, you need to create a natural shade in the balcony gardening. Arrange the pots by allowing someplace so that it will provide the free growth of the plants. If your balcony lacks floor space then consider window boxes, hanging baskets, plant stands, trellises, wall gardens, etc. The hooks for balcony gardening saves much space in your balcony and gives you a beautiful look.
If your balcony is small, then you can plan for tiny apartment balcony gardening ideas such as a vertical garden. Fixing drip irrigation in the balcony makes a low maintenance option.
Container gardening tips home gardeners for beginners
Container gardening does not require much space. A small space will be an ideal spot for a container garden. You just need a little plan and imagination.
Best things about container gardening
The containers themselves act as a landscape so you can save your space by planning it properly. You can come up with unique, shapes, sizes, and colors and grow any plants in it. You can grow the plants in wine crates, old boots, and another container style of things. To obtain a proper arrangement, you can use a variety of containers with different shapes and sizes.
Be sure that you fill your container with premium potting soil. It provides the required amount of nutrients and helps for the proper growth of the plants in containers.
Selection of plants to plant in containers
Before selecting first you should know what you want. Whether you want to plant succulents, perennials, or annuals. All these work well in containers. You can grow even fruits, vegetables of your own choice in the containers which save your monthly expenses. Choose the plants that thrive in the soil, watering, and light conditions to have a successful garden. If your container does not receive proper sunlight then you need to place them in the sunlight for 2-3 hours daily so that they will get the proper light for their growth.
For making your garden beautiful and to reduce the space, you can use hanging containers, flower boxes on railings, plug-in tabletop fountains, etc. It will be based on your imagination to transform your small space into a beautiful container garden.
When replanting into the old soil into the pot be sure that you add manure, compost, vermicompost so that it will rejuvenate the soil structure as the nutrients will be depleted in the old soil.
Indoor home gardening tips for beginners
You may also check this: Backyard Hydroponic Gardening, Ideas, Setup, Tips.
Indoor gardens do not yield huge rewards. A potted plant placed at the side of the sofa adds a character and beauty to the room. It also helps in purifying the air which you inhale. You can plan for small containers with edible herbs that will save your little expenses. These can be planned in your kitchen room that brightens a mood faster than other things. Growing indoors is happy and easy just you need to follow the below simple tips.
Choosing the best plants of indoor gardening
You can go for greens or herbs which are the best and excellent choice for indoor gardening. Below is the list of plants that you can grow indoor.
- Greens: Spinach, lettuce, mixed salad greens, and kale.
- Herbs: Mint, rosemary, basil, fenugreek, coriander, lavender, and cilantro.
- House plants: Lily, ficus, ZZ plant, philodendron, dracaena, and fiddle leaf fig.
- Succulents: Panda plants, jade plants, and aloe vera.
Providing light for the indoor plants
Light is an important factor that has to be considered in indoor gardening. The kind of bright light which you get from the south-facing window will be the best for growing leafy greens, succulents, and herbs. The north-facing window gives the little sunlight which will be the best for shady plants. The east or west window will provide moderate sunlight that would be best for growing the plants that require more sunlight.
How to manage the pests in indoor gardening?
The most common problem in growing indoor plants is fungus gnats. These hide in the soil and retards the growth of the plants. To avoid this you can use different kinds of potting mix that are available for only indoor plants. These reduce the pests. You can also spray the neem oil which helps not to attract the bugs and other pests.
How to water the plants in the indoor garden?
You need to water based on the moisture content in the soil. Watering is the trickiest part of indoor gardening. You should not water the plant unless the top inch of the soil is dry. To know this you need to touch the soil with the hand and shove your finger into the soil up to the first knuckle. If it is dry then you need to water. The other signs which plant shows that they are thirty are dull leaf color and wilting. The season also affects the water requirement. Plants grow fast during spring and summer. Hence, they need to be watered more often in the summer season. In winter, the growth of the plant is slowed down hence they need only a little water. You also need to consider the plants before watering whether they need much water, moderate or dry.
How to feed the plants in indoor gardening?
In addition to the soil, plants also need some minerals and growth factors for their super growth and color. So you need to feed them every week with a nutritious meal like liquid fertilizer for indoor gardening or other organic fertilizers. This serves for the excellent growth of the plants in indoor gardens.
How to maintain the right temperature in indoor gardening?
You need to protect your plants from the hot or cold conditions. Keep the pots away from fridge windows, sweltering heaters, and open doors. You also need to keep the plants away from the central heating or AC vents. Remember that you need to maintain good conditions for your plant to grow indoors. If it is hot for you inside your home then it is hot for the plants too so you need to maintain it accordingly.
Does the indoor plant attract mosquitos?
You need to understand that plants never attract mosquitos but the stagnant water in the saucer of indoor plant pots attracts them. This place will be sufficient enough for the mosquitos to breed. So you need to spray the areas with insecticidal soap which are safe to the most of the indoor plants. This spray also helps in getting rid of indoor insects. You can also spray the neem oil and other organic methods which you follow to get rid of the mosquitos in your home. It is better to avoid the stagnant waters in the indoor plants as they create a breeding ground for mosquitos and other insects.
Coax your indoor plants for more growth
Some of the indoor herbs are too lengthy and flops over. To prevent this you can pinch off the growing tip. This allows the branches to grow and encourages herbs to branch more and become bushier especially in mint, basil, and coriander.
Additional tips for indoor gardening
Propagating is the best method for indoor plants to grow into full-sized adults. You can propagate the plants immediately in the small pots filled with moistened soil or potting mix. With the same light, temperature, and moisture the baby plant grows into a parent quickly. In this way, you can grow more and more plants indoor effectively.
It is better to place your plant for some time in the sunlight if your indoor plants have poor light availability.
You can also add mulch to the indoor plants which will be best for controlling weeds but this is optional. You need to be patient while you grow your plants because some seeds sprout early but few take time. Organize the seeds properly by providing better space or equal space to grow. You should not just throw away.
Treat your plants as your best friends because you need to observe their growth, color, size, and sometimes the taste too. If your plant is green and healthy then it states it is growing well by getting all the requirements. If your plant is weak and appears dull then you need to consider a few things.
The major problem in indoor gardening is the root rot. This is caused due to the improper availability of sunlight and more water in the soil. You can get rid by watering appropriately which is whenever the top inch of the soil is dry.
Maintaining an indoor garden is easy because you will plant your seeds or saplings in a pot. You need to just remove the ripe leaves or dried leaves frequently. You need to observe the plant condition every day because you are minimizing a few things indoors.
In indoor gardening, you can try with hydroponics which is simply growing plants in water. This is hassle-free and easy to maintain. In this, you need to provide nutrients in the liquid form as the plants will be grown just in water without soil, pebbles, etc. This is a modern-looking end table where you can grow the plants even veggies with the light on the underside of the table. But this is a cost involving method. So if you are having large spacing in your home then you can go for it. But maintaining hydroponics is a difficult task as you need to change the water frequently and also attract few insects especially mosquitos.
Home backyard gardening tips for beginners
To start the backyard gardening you need to have much free time because you are utilizing the free space in the backyard. You need to consider many things before starting backyard gardening. If you are a beginner, then you need to consider the below points to start backyard gardening.
Garden size in backyard gardening
The amount of availability of space in your backyard helps you to decide to design the project even in a hundred square foot area you can extensively produce a steady supply of vegetables. The ideal space allows you to grow all the vegetables that you need. You will get more veggies where you can share with your neighbors happy.
Providing light and shade to your backyard garden
If you are planning to face your plants towards south then six hours of sunlight per day is required to your garden. Observe the path of shadows during the day and plant your trees accordingly. Overexposure to sunlight might kill your plants and hence you need to provide them with shade. For this, you can plan an area where the building shade is seen or you can manually provide the shade by using green nets which protects your plants from excessive heat and sunlight. Choosing an ideal location for planting your garden is an important step in backyard gardening.
Preparing soil for backyard gardening
Soil is an important factor in the growth of the plants. You need to add compost, manure, and other organic fertilizers that enhance the plant growth efficiently. Test the soil for its pH by using a simple kit. This test will help in knowing the pH of the soil and the measures to improve its neutrality. Generally, the plant prefers 6.5 – 6.8 pH to grow efficiently. So to make the soil prepare for gardening you need to add the required organic fertilizers and manures which enhances the growth.
Mulching in backyard gardening
Mulching your garden does not allow the growth of the weeds and prevents soil erosion, moisture evaporation, and soil-borne plant diseases. You can use mulches based on the type of plant you choose to grow in your garden.
Wind exposure
You need to consider this important point because you are planning for a garden in an open area. So to protect your tender parts of the plant you need to fence or construct a wind barrier that protects your plant from heavy winds.
Watering
The design of your garden influences how to water your plants in a backyard garden. If you would like to place an automatic watering system then you need to plan for drip irrigation or overhead sprinklers. This will save you time and water too.
Crop rotations in backyard gardening
It is better to plant seasonal plants in backyard gardening because it serves both the purposes. The crop rotation builds the soil tilth and adds nutrients to the soil.
How to manage the pests in backyard gardening?
Pest management is an important step in backyard gardening as it is open for many insects and pests so you can follow all the organic methods for removing the pests. If your plant is immune enough then the pests cannot affect your plant. So a better plan for increasing the immunity in your plants. You can grow all types of vegetables and fruits in your backyard garden as it allows much space for the plants to grow freely.
In case if you are interested in this: How to Make Money from Gardening Service.