Home gardening is growing food in a small space near our home that is easy for our family to use. Plants can be grown in your backyard, on your terrace, or even on your balcony, as long as there is enough space. These plants are sown right into the ground or into pots. You can grow vegetables, fruits, herbs, spices, flowers, decorative plants, and healthy plants.
Home gardening can be done for fun, to save money, or relaxing. It has been popular again, especially since the pandemic. It would be best if you had some good soil and some plants. This helps you get fresh fruits and vegetables that are good for you.
Since 2013, the plants grown in the containers have been getting better. It’s easier to grow plants in pots instead of in the ground. Since the potting mix is used to plant, there is no need to prepare the soil. It solves the problems of weeds and lack of space by letting gardeners put the containers on the roof, in the backyard, on a terrace, etc.
Home gardens save a lot of money, and the fresh taste and bright colors of the food we grow ourselves make us happy. Growing your food is easy, but you need to follow these steps to get good results.
Steps to Take When Gardening at Home
The following is a list of steps to take when gardening at home.
Choosing a Location
Choose a spot that will work for your plants. You need to think about the soil’s pH, how much sun it gets, the type of soil, and the plants that can grow there. Find out what kind of soil you have so you can garden better. Sand, clay, and loam are all types of soil. Plants do best in soil that is loose and has good drainage. A good amount of sunlight for gardening is between 6 and 8 hours.
Choose pots carefully if you want to grow plants in them. Rooted plants like carrots and radishes need bigger, deeper pots. Tomatoes, okra, and other plants that have leaves will grow well in shallow pots. (you can use the garbage cans at home).
Garden Planning
Grow the plants you and your family like to eat (Hint- grow the expensive plants). To make gardening easier, it’s best to use plants already there.
Ideal Garden Placement for Plants
Make good use of the space you have. Tall plants like tomatoes, okra, and corn should be grown on one side, so they don’t shade the other plants. Mix annuals and perennials to get food from your garden all year long. Plant vine crops like cucumbers, melons, and climbing beans near the fence.
Set Up Your Garden and Prepare the Soil
Before you plant, you have to get the land ready to help the plants grow. Loosen the soil and take out any weeds, rocks, or plant parts still there. Put 2–3 inches of organic mulch on the soil to improve it.
Crop-planting
Make sure to plant your seeds at the right depth. You might want to plant the seeds 2–3 times as deep as the seed is wide, cover them with soil, and water them lightly. For transplanting, dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball, cover it with soil, and mix in some manure to help the seedlings grow. Keep the plants far enough apart, so they don’t have to fight for light and food.
Pest Check
Check your plants often for signs of pests. If pests show up, throw them away or wash the plant with water. Pests can be killed with natural pesticides that can be made at home.
Feed Your Plants
For better growth, plants need food. Feed them with compost and Farm Yard Manure to give them nutrients.
Regularly Water Plants
Especially in the summer, the plants need to be watered well. To keep water from evaporating, you should water early in the morning or in the evening, when it is cooler.
Weeding
Weeds will make it hard for your crop to grow. So keep an eye out for weeds and pull them out when you see them. They have to fight for water and food. But most of these problems don’t happen in containers.
Conclusion
With the world’s population expected to reach more than 9 billion by 2050, there is a growing need to make more food. Home gardening is an important way for people to get food and nutrition, especially during this pandemic. Different crops like vegetables, fruits, microgreens, spices, plantations or ornamentals, herbs, and medicinal plants can be grown to feed the families.
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