Written by Chip Glennon for GLENNON REAL ESTATE EXPERTS
Now that you’ve got a better idea about the goals you would like to achieve and the type of garden you want to achieve those goals, it’s now time to make it a reality. Before putting a shovel to soil however, there are still some factors to consider. You’ll need to be honest with yourself about any previous gardening experience so you don’t get in over your head. The space your garden will require needs to be chosen and your garden will be impacted by the time and ability you have to put into it. Of course, it’s very helpful to create a budget as well so your new hobby doesn’t become too costly or need to be abandoned. As you begin to blend your goals with your vision along with the above factors, your garden will begin to take shape. Here’s a little more in-depth look at the variables that will help shape your sucessful garden.
Experience
Many of us have at least some pleasant memories of gardening-related activities in the past that anchor us to the activity. It may have been planting sunflowers in the backyard or helping grandparents with their vegetable garden. It could have even been watching a soybean sprout roots as part of a school project. Or maybe it was just as simple as picking a bunch of wildflowers for mom. No matter where your interest started it is time to be upfront about your experience and how it affects your choice in a new personal garden of your own. If you are a true beginner, for example, planting a few potted plants or a container garden may be enough to start you into the hobby. If you had gardens previously, you may want to step up your game with a larger, varied vegetable or flower garden. Even experienced gardeners can test their mettle with an exotic specialty garden or moon garden. The key is growing with the hobby so it stays enjoyable and doesn’t simply become extra work. Use whatever experience you have to challenge yourself to see what you can accomplish. Continuing to build upon your experience is one of the most rewarding aspects of gardening.
Space
The space available to dedicate to a garden will significantly impact the direction your garden will take. Are you in a position to use a large area of your yard? Will a smaller plot or garden in the front of your home satisfy your desires? Perhaps a raised garden or potted and hanging plants will do. Even if space is extremely limited you can still get involved in gardening with smaller potted plants or an herb garden.
If you are fortunate enough to have a larger area, you can consider a bigger vegetable garden that can supplement your food supply, paying dividends in fresh fruit and vegetables. Growing enough may allow you to be generous with your harvest; sharing with friends, neighbors, and family. It may even lead to another hobby like cooking or canning.
Space around the front of a home is a perfect spot for a colorful flower garden to accent and even add value to a home. If available space limits you to potted or container plants around the porch, a beautiful impact can still be made with the right choice of flowers and utilization of the space. Virtually everyone can enjoy gardening on some level depending on the space they have, or want, to dedicate to the activity.
Time & Ability
One mistake some can make when planning a garden is underestimating the amount of time or skill it takes to take care of their plants. They also may overestimate their physical ability to care for a large garden. Before undertaking a garden, be honest about your available time and ability. If you’re already overworked or have a physical limitation, just be sure to plan your garden accordingly. Several other elements will also factor into how much time and talent a garden requires.
- Space – While one would think the larger the garden, the more time and talent it would take to manage it, but that is not necessarily the case. A large garden, for example, with one type of plant and a sprinkler system may actually require less time and talent than a smaller, more involved garden.
- Type of Plants – The type of plants will have a huge impact on the skills and time required for a garden. Easy to grow plants for beginners include sunflowers, geraniums, sweet peas, and marigolds. Beginners will likely want to avoid more challenging flowers and plants like orchids, roses, ferns, and azaleas.
- Number of Plants – It makes sense that the more plants you have to take care of, the longer it will take to maintain them. It may not require any more talent to take care of more plants but it certainly will take more time and physical effort.
- Variety of Plants – The more variety a garden has, the more time and talent it will take to keep it flourishing. This is due to the slightly different care each variety may require. Plants can either complement or fight each other and may need varying degrees of sunlight and water.
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Obviously, beginners will want to keep initial gardens simpler while more adept gardeners may choose to challenge themselves.
Budget
Although gardening isn’t by nature, an expensive hobby, starting at the beginning or growing more elaborate gardens can indeed, add up. Planning for a successful garden should include a logical budget to ensure you have the ability to finance the hobby. Your budget should include money for tools that will be required and those that you may want to have on hand. If you are planting in containers or pots, those will need to be accounted for as well. You should budget for seeds, starter plants or full-grown plants depending on your chosen garden. You may also need materials like mulch, topsoil, and fertilizer. If you have decided on a specialty or decorative garden, elements like a water feature, lighting, or statuettes can be significant budget items to consider too.
Again, there are a variety of factors that will affect your required budget including the size of a garden. A large garden area, for example, could benefit from a power rototiller. This is something that could be rented as opposed to purchasing. A drip irrigation system, however, is something that would need to be purchased and installed. All of this, of course, will depend on the budget.
Geographical Location
Few will be surprised to hear that their geographical location will impact the types of plants that can be grown in an outdoor garden. This is due to the length of the growing season and climate extremes of a given area. There are nine growing zones in the United States. They are divided by the average dates of the last frost to the average date of the first frost. While these zones generally change North to South, they are affected by geographic elements like elevation and water. The shortest growing season is in the very northernmost central U.S. with the longest in southernmost California, Arizona and Texas and South Florida. This southernmost zone may not experience frost, so the growing season is marked by “dry season”. You can find your local growing season by typing in your zip code into the helpful map from the Burpee Seed Company website. Keep in mind these dates are on “average” and are not foolproof. You may be able to obtain more precise dates from your local Extension Office.
A plant’s ability to withstand the cold is measured in one of four “hardiness” levels. The hardiest plants can withstand some cold and frost, while gardeners should wait two to three weeks past the average last frost date to plant their more sensitive plants and vegetables. Keep in mind the soil temperatures along with the air temperature can affect a plant’s growth.
Geography will also have an affect on the amount of light that a plant has available. Light, whether artificial or natural sunlight, helps a plant turn carbon dioxide and water into the sugar required for needed food. It is good to keep in mind that plants that are grown for their fruits to be eaten will need about six to eight hours of sunlight, while leafy vegetables can usually do quite well in more shady areas.
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