Questions to ask yourself before having a garden

5 QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF BEFORE SETTING UP A GARDEN

From Gardenprue we have asked ourselves these 5 questions that can help you define your future project of setting up a garden . In them we are going to deal with the possible doubts that may appear before staining our hands with dirt, and it is that, first of all, the best thing is to take a pen and paper, make an outline and solve these questions.

 

1.- IS IT NECESSARY TO HAVE LAND TO HAVE A GARDEN?

We could say that to have a proper garden it is necessary to have a plot of land , but with caveats. Wouldn’t a growing table with several plants be a mini-garden? The same goes for flower pots. If we have a few vegetables distributed in pots, we would have a flowerpot, right ?

The ideal is that you have your small plot to cultivate, that would be a pure and simple garden . But since not everyone is lucky enough to have a small plot of land, we can say that in the 21st century that is not a problem. Whoever wants can!

2.- HOW MUCH CAN IT COST ME TO ASSEMBLE EVERYTHING?

If you are able to produce compost with your kitchen waste, you are a handyman and you know how to build your own home composter , if you preserve seeds or have extracted them from previous harvests and have some tools, practically nothing, because the consumption of water for a single family plot is despicable.

If it is your first time and you have to invest, you will not spend more than € 50 on tools and the purchase of seeds or seedlings. If you do not dare to make the composter, you can buy it in different capacities (300 liters onwards), with a price between € 40 and € 100.

3.- WHAT ARE THE EASIEST CROPS TO START WITH?

There are crops that are more difficult than others. For example, the tomato is a somewhat difficult crop, and not very suitable for the one that is started for the first time. Either because of the susceptibility to pests and diseases, the guides and tutorials that must be followed or their requirements, sometimes it gives us headaches. We suggest you start with simpler crops, so that you gain confidence and experience : lettuce, garlic , chard, radishes , onions, peppers , etc.

What do we base ourselves on to say that they are easier? Well, we mean the following:

  • Less susceptibility to pests and diseases
  • Less impact on the climate or atmospheric variations.
  • Greater rusticity against soil. Adaptation to a wide pH range .
  • Less care (tutored, pruning, thinning, etc.).

4.- HOW LONG DOES A GARDEN TAKE?

The greatest expenditure of time is spent above all in preparing the land and sowing. Depending on the state of the land, it will be necessary to hoe (greater depth depending on the crop being planted), break up large pieces of land, manure or add compost, sow or transplant and water. Depending on the cultivation method you use for your garden, it will take you more or less time. For example, a raised garden , if you have back problems, will take a long time. If you have little time, the furrow garden method is the most recommended, but the best results are achieved with crestal walls or raised beds . Of course, they take longer.

The rest of the tasks are maintenance. Cleaning of weeds when they appear, irrigation if you do not have an automatic system, the occasional occasional subscriber, control of pests and diseases, if they appear, some pruning, tutored, and finally, harvesting.

There is an extensive bibliography of authors that solve most of the problems that may appear in your garden. Especially the books by John Seymour and Mariano Bueno , two great authors and references in organic farming.

5.- HOW DO I DECIDE WHAT TO PLANT AND WHEN TO PLANT?

As we mentioned at the beginning, it is best to take a pen and paper and plan it. Depending on the season in which we want to harvest, the quantity, the type of vegetable or fruit, we will have one or the other. You can help yourself with this sowing calendar .

We have started last by solving the question of when to plant, but what to plant? Well, to taste the colors, according to your wishes and knowledge, the climate in which you find yourself and the situation of the garden. What you cannot leave to chance is the combination of vegetables that you will have in the garden. That is, some plants grow better in the company of others. It is what we call crop associations , and as you know, they can be favorable or unfavorable. For the future season you will also have to take into account crop rotations , since some vegetables are nourished by soil minerals that in future may require the next planting. The best thing is to know them and make the most of them.

Well that’s it. Surely I left many things in the pipeline, but since I’m sure not to you, the best thing you can do is remind me or ask your questions in the forum  or in Agroquo . They will gladly answer you!

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