Tips On How to Start a Garden

Tips On How to Start a Garden by Roberto Bell

You have a garden, a patio or some little nook you want to start greening, and don’t know where to start or what to do. First of all you should get all the basic knowledge on the subject and what it entails.



A good place to start is the condition of the soil. There are different types of soil and not all are suitable to grow stuff in. But they can all be corrected and there is a solution for all.



Find out the type and the fertility characteristics of the soil. Inherent fertility is determined both by the physical and chemical properties in the composition of the soil. Color and depth of soil, texture and drainage, structural stability and consistence are the physical aspects of the soil to look for. Then, soil reaction, organic matter, nutrient status and cation exchange capacity are the chemistry side of the soil.



Next, find out how much light there is throughout the day. Sunlight is an essential ingredient for a plant to grow and all plants need sunlight to convert nutrients to be taken up and absorb for healthy growth.



Water is essential for the creation of sap and turgidity of the plant.



Generally good garden soils contain a mix of sand, silt and clay. They can also contain gravel and humus. To have healthy plants a right balance of these substances are required. The addition of a balanced fertilizer will ensure your plants have all the nutrients essential for growth, formation of flower buds and fruit.



With all this information under your belt, you can start to prepare the soil. Examine the soil structure defined by the way particles cling together. A stable structure will not break down easily when cultivated.



Check the way the soil behaves under wet and dry conditions which is the consistency of the soil. If it tends to get too sticky when wet, and hard when dry, these are difficult to cultivate. Their capacity to retain moisture is low, and dries out fast. These soils can be improved with the addition of humus or good organic matter to make it more friable.



If the soil is friable and breaks up easily when dry and non sticky when wet is the best consistency to work with.



Soil reaction expressed in pH values is another contributing factor, as different plants require a different pH value or acid level. A neutral soil has a pH7 value. Below this level signifies an increasing level of acidity and over a pH7 an increasing level of alkalinity.



In areas where there is higher rainfall the more soil acidity and areas with lower rainfall have more alkaline soils. Acid soils can be neutralized with the addition of lime and alkaline soils with sulfur.



Remove excessively large stones and large gravel. Mix in good compost, manure, and correct soil structure. The more clay in a soil the higher the cation exchange capacity of the soil, and the higher the cation exchange capacity, the more effective it is in handling fertilizer exchange.



Design your layout and decide what you want and find out whether it is suitable or not.

Buy strong and healthy plants. Look for discoloration, insect attack and disease. You don’t want to start your garden with these. Now it is time to start planting and put them in the ground or container. With proper maintenance, and the elements of nutrition, water and sunlight your garden will have the desired results.


Informations is provided by http://www.mishobonsai.com , a website dedicated about providing general informations about bonsai trees and the various elements about this Japanese art form. Also provides informations on various bonsai species such as juniper, cotoneaster and japanese maple bonsai tree. Visit Tips On How to Start a Garden.


Article Source: Tips On How to Start a Garden