Dreaming of a bed of roses or rows of tasty tomato plants is easy; the reality may feel like a nightmare, particularly to first-timers.
If you’re planning on seeing whether your thumb is green this summer, note that gardeners are just as varied as gardens, and even those who grew up surrounded by high-rise buildings can nurture something from a plot of earth.
You don’t even need your own backyard; thanks to locavores, the local food movement is spawning community gardens galore.
Before you take that first step, read gardening blogs and books.
Talk to gardeners.
Learn from them.
Then check out these DIY tips: Know your space.
Gardens can occupy most of a backyard or a square-foot box.
Consider where you’ll plant.
Walk around your yard at different times of the day so you can see what areas get the most shade, and when.
Make sure you have the necessary materials.
Have water buckets and/or a hose that’s long enough.
Invest in good tools and the space to store them.
A word about water.
Many areas in North America are suffering from serious drought conditions, while others have the opposite problem: too much water.
Both issues shape the way individuals on this continent garden today.
Know your soil.
Different plants grow better in different soil types.
It’s important to know the pH level of your soil.
You can purchase a home test, or you can submit soil samples to a lab and have experts look at it.
Know your strengths.
Gardening takes time.
For some, weeding, watering, pruning, and keeping your plants safe from insects and animals is part of the joy of gardening.
If all that seems like drudge work, you may have to accept that gardening isn’t for you.
Know your plan.
Successful gardeners plan ahead.
During June, for example, you need to plant fast-growing summer annuals and heat-tolerant vegetables that can endure hot summers.