How to
Start a Garden
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Gardening is the No. 1
outdoor hobby in the United
States. If you are a new
home owner or just want to
find out what all the hoopla
is about, here are a few
tips on starting a garden of
your own.
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Steps: |
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1. |
Start small. Choose a sunny
spot in your yard not larger
than 5 feet by 5 feet.
Gardening can be frustrating
if your space is greater
than your experience.
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2. |
Remove all weeds before you
do anything in your garden
plot. Weeds have a tendency
to reappear, so don't be
surprised if they return in
a few weeks. Pull them as
soon as you see them.
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3. |
Turn the soil over with a
shovel or spading fork. If
the ground is hard to dig,
your plants will have a
difficult time growing
through it. If you have hard
soil, water the ground the
day before you work the soil
to soften it up. Place some
organic compost on the
surface of the soil and mix
it in well prior to
planting. |
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4. |
Water the prepared soil
prior to planting. Plant
roots should never come in
contact with dry soil.
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5. |
Use small plants from the
nursery rather than planting
from seed. Growing from seed
takes more experience.
Smaller plants are easier to
grow for the novice
gardener. |
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6. |
Select plants that do well
in your area. Save the
exotic plants for a little
later in your gardening
career. Check with your
local nursery for a variety
of plants that are suitable
to your location.
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7. |
Water as soon as you are
finished planting to settle
the soil around the roots.
Do not add fertilizer until
you begin to see new growth.
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8. |
Enjoy! Part of the fun of
gardening is watching your
plants mature and grow with
your help. |
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Tips: |
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Grow plants that you like.
If you hate broccoli, why
bother to grow it? Flowers
are very rewarding to grow.
Marigolds are almost
fool-proof and bloom for a
long time - great for
first-time gardeners.
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Use a watering wand to break
the force flow of the water.
Keep the water near the
surface of the soil, not the
foliage. |
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Warnings:
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Water carerfully. The
surface of the soil should
feel dry to the touch before
you add water to your new
garden. Overwatering is the
No. 1 cause of death in most
landscape plants.
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