Things I wish I knew as a beginner gardener

Photo by Stella de Smit on Unsplash

When I first wanted to grow food in my backyard, I decided to watch a few videos of successful gardeners and was awestruck by the way they grew so much in their backyard. I just saw a few videos and decided to jump in and start to grow my own food. It was only later I realized that a lot of preparation is needed before you start to grow all kinds of fruits and vegetables in your garden. Although I am still learning a lot of things in my gardening journey, there are some things I wish I had done before I had started gardening which could have saved a lot of trouble.

Here are some gardening tips for beginners to start a successful backyard garden

1. Proper planning:

Most fruits and vegetables grow best in sandy loam soil. If the soil in your backyard is too compact your plants may find it difficult to grow. Using raised beds or amending soil properly is necessary for the proper growth of plants. Plants that are grown in very compact soil can become stunted or they die. Also, your garden must be planned in such a manner that vegetables are grown in a location where they get a minimum of 4 hours of sunlight every day. If vegetables are grown in a location that gets less sunlight it will harm your plant’s growth. Before growing anything your garden must be planned in such a manner that the soil is suitable for the plant’s growth and that your backyard gets sufficient sunlight for plant growth.

2. Do proper research:

Before growing any kind of vegetable or any kind of plant, do proper research on the growing conditions of that particular vegetable. Certain vegetables grow in alkaline soil conditions whereas other vegetables grow best in acidic soil conditions. Some vegetables grow better in cool weather conditions, whereas others vegetables grow best in warm weather conditions. When vegetables are grown in the right weather conditions they grow and give good yields.

3. Grow vegetables that you consume:

Instead of trying to grow all kinds of vegetables and fruits and other plants, start simple by growing what you eat.

4. Practise soil regenerative techniques:

Soil is a living organism, and the greater the soil fertility more the yield the plant produces. Practising regenerative farming can improve soil fertility and improves yields. Crop rotation and Companion planting are some of the techniques that can be used to improve soil health. Regenerative farming practices can be practised in small spaces and even in containers.

5. Start small and gradually expand your garden:

Start by growing in a small space in your garden and gradually expand your garden by growing more vegetables and expanding the space in your garden.