About Gardening?
Question:What's the first thing you do when trying to start a small garden in your back yard?
Answers:
prepare the soil, make sure it is fertile, add some top soil. As long as the conditions are reasonable, you will have a prosperous garden. Don't forget to water!
till
prepare your soil. rototill it and add organic matter. Compost or potting soils are good ways to add organic matter.
then plant your plants and mulch them in. add fertilizer.
tend your plants and pull weeds. enjoy. gardening can be very therapeutic. good luck!
The first thing you need to do is make sure you have the right soil for whatever you're trying to plant. If you're planting plants, flowers, or vegetables, the best thing to use is either GOOD QUALITY potting soil, or worm castings a.k.a. vermicast. They are both LOADED with nutrients on which your plants can thrive. The worm castings are better if you can find them, but do not use worm castings if you're planting veggies outdoors; in a flower pot you can use worm castings. This is because they can attract worms that may eat your veggies. Another very good thing about these kinds of soil is that they time-release water and nutrients to your plants to make sure they get what they need when they need it. Regular topsoil tends to clump unp and get hard. You can locate all this stuff at www.1800TOPSOIL.com or 1-800-TOPSOIL. They are national so wherever you are, they probably have a member. Good luck!
As everyone else has stated all gardens begin with the soil. You can have a soil test done by the local extension office for $5 or less. They can tell you exactly what you will need to add to your soil. organic add-ins are always best. In the south we have red clay. we always have to amend the soil to grow stuff. Also, look for a local dirt dealer. better than wal-mart and usually cheaper. I get a pick-up truck load for $30. It is a custom blend and everything grows great! Happy gardening!!
There is a saying in the south - plant a 50 cent tree in a 5 dollar hole. The best plant will not survive in poor soil. You didn't say how big of an area you are working with. You can build raised beds with railroad timbers and fill with topsoil. If you are working directly on your exisitng soil it needs to be amended so it will retain moisture and provide drainage and nutrients to your plants. Your local nursery (not Walmart or HD or Lowes) will most likely be able to advise you on what you should use to amend your soil with based on your locale. Good luck and enjoy your garden!
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